Ryanair plans 5,000 new European jobs as pandemic eases

Ryanair Holdings plans to create 5,000 European jobs over the next five years as the airline returns to growth following the coronavirus slump. The Dublin-based carrier will need to add aviation crew to meet demand from an expanded Boeing 737 fleet, unit CEO Eddie Wilson said in an emailed statement Tuesday. The airline expects passenger numbers to more than double to 200m a year by 2025, after the addition of 210 Boeing 737 Max narrow-bodies, he said. The expansion comes as the airline industry starts to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, with the global rollout of vaccinations easing government concerns about border controls. Ireland restarted widescale international travel in July after more than a year of advising against non-essential trips. The UK plans to revamp its so-called traffic-light border rules this month and may ease test requirements for arrivals to make it easier to visit. Ryanair is opening new training center in Dublin as part of the expansion plan. That is a “real vote of confidence in the airline industry as it rebuilds after the pandemic,” Irish Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said.<br/>