RYANAIR CEO Michael O’Leary has told staff that as many as 900 jobs are at risk.

The news came in a video message on Monday, Bloomberg reports, after the company announced a 21% drop in quarterly earnings.

The airline has been faced with higher fuel costs, Brexit uncertainty and delays to its expansion plans caused by the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max jetliner. Ryanair had ordered 58 of these aircraft for its summer 2020 schedule. 

O’Leary said in his message to staff that the airline has an excess of more than 500 pilots and 400 flight attendants.

He also said the company would be recruiting around 600 fewer staff next summer than in previous recruitment plans. 

“We, over the next couple of weeks, will be doing our very best to minimize job losses, but some are unavoidable at this time,” he said.

A Ryanair spokesperson confirmed the airline expects “approximately 900 current staff could be impacted”. 

The company currently employees 5,500 pilots and 9,000 flight attendants.

The Fórsa trade union said in a statement that today’s development is “obviously of concern to Ryanair staff”.

“At this point the union has no specific information about the routes or bases that may be affected. Fórsa is watching the situation closely, and has told the airline’s management that it expects to be consulted on any measures that could impact on the jobs, incomes or working conditions of union members.”