SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM 6-K


Report of Foreign Private Issuer


Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


For the month of  July, 2008

RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC
(Translation of registrant's name into English)

c/o Ryanair Ltd Corporate Head Office
Dublin Airport
County Dublin Ireland
(Address of principal executive offices)


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F..X.. Form 40-F.....


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.

Yes ..... No ..X..


If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant
in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________

 

RYANAIR ANNOUNCES TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF OPERATIONS AT 
SEVEN BASES

Ryanair, Europe's leading low fares airline, today, Thursday
, 
17
th
 July
 2008
, announced the temporary closure of its operations at 
the following airports
 for the period from Tuesday, 4
th
 November until Friday, 19
th
 December:


Ryanair explained the decision to close its operations and cancel these flights for the following reasons;


Ryanair confirmed that it had written to 
the airports
 seeking a reduction on the costs of these flights this winter but 
their response was wholly inadequate
. The loss of this passenger traffic will now cost the airport authority significant commercial revenue and 

Announcing this closure, Ryanair's Deputy Chief Executive, Michael Cawley, said;

"
We very much regret temporarily closing our operations at 
these airports
 during this November and December period. However, a combination of 
high airport charges 
and the massive increases which we face in fuel prices, makes it more profitable for Ryanair to ground aircraft rather than fly them at 
these airports
 during this period.

"
These flights the passengers would not be lost to 
these cities or
 tourism if 
they
 had responded
 adequately
 to Ryanair's proposals for cost reductions on these flights for the winter season.

"
Ryanair, with the lowest costs and lowest guaranteed fares in Europe, is the only airline capable of retaining year round 
international 
tourism and business links for 
such 
regional cities. However, low airport costs and local support are required to sustain these operations, particularly through the low yielding months in the winter. In the absence of this support, Ryanair has no alternative but to cancel these routes and develop its business elsewhere.

"
We will continue our discussions with the airport authorities in order to convince them that this type of interruption to our services need not happen 
in the future 
if costs are reduced and hopefully we can develop an agreement on how they can 
support the year round continuation of our services on a viable basis for the benefit of the airport
s
 and the region
s they
 serve
"
.

The lost passenger traffic and
 
numbers 
of 
flight
s
 is outlined as follows:

Airport
Lost Flights
Lost Passengers
Basel
204
31,000
Budapest
180
27,000
Krakow
444
67,000
Palma
372
56,000
Rzeszow
192
29,000
Salzburg
84
12,500
Valencia
504
80,000




Ends.
    
    
    
    
    
                               
Thursday, 17
th
 July 2008

For further information
please contact:
                                                           Stephen McNamara
    
    
    
    
Pauline McAlester
                                                           Ryanair Ltd
    
    
    
            
    
Murray Consultants
                                                           Tel: +353-1-8121212
    
    
  
    
Tel. +353-1-4980300
 

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

                                                                                                                       RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC

 


Date:  17 July, 2008

 

                                                                                                                        By:___/s/ James Callaghan____

                                                                                                                        James Callaghan
                                                                                                                        Company Secretary & Finance Director