DUE TO 11% ZAVENTEM PRICE INCREASE 12 RYR ZAVENTEM ROUTES WILL CONTINUE ON NON-BASED AIRCRAFT

Contrary to recent speculation, Ryanair today (11 Jan) confirmed that it will not re-open its Brussels Zaventem base in S23 due to Zaventem Airport’s decision to increase prices by 11% from April 2023. Unlike many other EU airports who are lowering prices to recover traffic lost during the Covid pandemic or freezing charges to stimulate passenger growth, Brussels Zaventem has chosen to jack up prices yet again by 11% for airlines and passengers from April 2023 making it even more uncompetitive compared to other Belgian and EU airports. Ryanair confirmed that it will still operate 12 routes to/from Brussels Zaventem for S23 on aircraft which are based outside Belgium as follows;

Ryanair flights to/from Charleroi will be unaffected by this decision not to re-open the Zaventem base. Ryanair expects to operate 109 routes to/from Brussels Charleroi for S23.

Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:

“Despite recent rumours, we will not be re-opening our Brussels Zaventem base in S23 due to Zaventem Airport’s decision to increase prices by 11% for airlines and passengers from April 2023. However, customers can still book Ryanair’s low fares on 12 Zaventem routes that will continue to operate to/from Brussels Zaventem for S23 on aircraft based outside Belgium.

Ryanair’s flights on 109 routes to/from Charleroi will be unaffected by this decision and we look forward to welcoming millions of Belgian customers/visitors onboard our flights to/from both Brussels Charleroi and Zaventem Airports this Summer.”

Ryanair, Ireland’s No 1 airline, has responded to strong demand from Irish rugby fans by adding even more seats to Rome ahead of Ireland’s much anticipated Six Nations test against Italy on Sat, 25 Feb.

Secure your Ryanair seat to Italy and cheer on the boys in green from your seat in Stadio Olimpico for the ultimate match day experience.

Ryanair’s Dara Brady, said:

“We’ve had record bookings from Irish rugby fans travelling to Rome this year for what is set to be an exciting match against Italy in Stadio Olimpico on Sat, 25Feb. Following huge demand, we have added even more seats to our Dublin – Rome route and encourage rugby fans to book their seat on Ryanair.com now to avoid disappointment. 

Seats are selling fast so anyone seeking that match day experience should log onto Ryanair.com without further delay.”

Ryanair Holdings plc today (4 Jan.) said it expects to report a stronger than expected Q3 (end 31 Dec.) PAT of close to €200m.  Strong pent-up travel demand over the holiday season for the first time in 3 years, with no adverse impact from Covid or the war in Ukraine, stimulated stronger than expected peak Christmas/New Year traffic and fares.

FY23 traffic guidance of 168m remains unchanged.  Ryanair expects Q4 to be loss making due to the absence of Easter from March, and a recent softening in UK outbound and Irish – Prov. UK traffic and pricing. 

As a result of these recent developments, Ryanair has raised its FY23 PAT guidance (pre-exceptionals) from a current range of €1.00bn – €1.20bn to a new range of €1.325bn – €1.425bn.  This guidance remains heavily dependent upon avoiding adverse events in Q4 (such as Covid or the war in Ukraine).

As this is a closed period, the Ryanair Group’s next market update will take place on Mon. 30 Jan. when the Group releases its Q3 results.

Ryanair Holdings plc today (Wed, 4 Jan) released Dec 2022 traffic stats as follows:

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (23 Dec) slammed the decision by the Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) to allow Dublin Airport to increase its charges to passengers by up to 45% by 2026 (including inflation). 

Dublin Airport passengers already endured long queues at Dublin Airport last summer with poor terminal facilities due to mismanagement of the return to passenger growth. CAR has inexplicably rewarded Dublin Airport with a price hike despite the fact that other airports are reducing charges as they try to recover lost traffic post-Covid and drive passenger growth (e.g., Barcelona, Madrid, Porto and Faro).

This unwarranted price increase at Dublin Airport is driven by excessive operating costs and a €3bn+ set of ‘gold plated’ capital investment projects, including an unnecessary €200m tunnel, which airline customers and passengers don’t want yet will be forced to pay for over the next 4 years. To drive connectivity and tourism growth, the Irish economy needs expanded low cost, efficient facilities with shorter security queues rather than unnecessary tunnels that go nowhere.

Ryanair’s CEO, Eddie Wilson, said:
“CAR is once again fuelling DAA’s “tunnel vision” at the expense of airline customers and passengers by allowing Dublin Airport to increase its charges by up to 45% by 2026, and with no benefit to passenger’s or Ireland’s tourism recovery.

The DAA should be putting less time and money into wasteful vanity projects, like the proposed €200m taxiway tunnel, and instead, use these resources to deliver lower prices, more capacity and better facilities for passengers to be able to get through security without waiting in lengthy queues, grab a decent cup of coffee and relax in a comfortable seat while they wait to board their low fare Ryanair flight.

It is not too late for Dublin Airport to come to its senses and abandon some of the wasteful projects behind this 45% price increase (like the €200m tunnel), and instead deliver the capacity required to boost Ireland’s tourism and economy.

We now call on the incoming DAA CEO, Kenny Jacobs, to review all projects his predecessors promoted in recent years and scrap those which do nothing for service quality for passengers or capacity for the Irish economy, and which only serve to drive up Dublin Airport’s revenues at the expense of airline customers and passengers.”

LOWEST FARES FROM DUBLIN TO NEW SUMMER DESTINATIONS

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (22 Dec) announced 2 new summer destinations to Kos and Brindisi as part of its Dublin Summer ’23 schedule – operating both routes twice weekly from June 2023.

To celebrate, Ryanair has launched a limited-time seat sale for early bird customers looking to bag themselves a bargain on their Summer’23 holiday with fares from just €39.99 available now on Ryanair.com.

Ryanair’s CEO Eddie Wilson said:

“With Summer’23 fast approaching, we are delighted to be bringing even more choice and value to our Irish customers with the addition of these new routes to Kos and Brindisi as part of our Summer’23 schedule. Ryanair is offering Dublin customers the lowest priced fares and even more choice when planning their long-awaited summer holidays.

To mark this announcement, we’ve launched a limited-time seat sale for early bird customers looking to bag themselves a bargain on their Summer ’23 holiday. In contrast to other airlines offering one-way fares starting at over €100 to Brindisi and Kos, Ryanair’s low cost fares start from just €39.99 and are available now, only on Ryanair.com.”

18 NEW ROUTES (121 TOT) & 4 ADDITIONAL AIRCRAFT (22 TOT) FOR PORTO & FARO

NO GROWTH IN MADEIRA & THE AZORES DUE TO INCREASED CHARGES

Ryanair, Europe’s No. 1 airline, today (21 Dec) announced its biggest ever Summer’23 schedule in Porto and Faro with 18 new routes (121 total), including Barcelona, Rome, Stockholm and Toulouse, which will drive year-round tourism to regional Portugal. Ryanair will base two additional aircraft at Porto and Faro (4 in total) from Summer’23, representing a $400m incremental investment in regional Portugal and creating 120 new highly paid local jobs.

This growth at Porto and Faro is a direct result of ANAC, the Portuguese Airport Regulator, intervening to stop monopoly airport operator ANA from introducing excessive airport charges in both airports. Regrettably, ANAC’s intervention has not gone far enough across other airports, with Lisbon, Madeira and Azores having significantly increased charges, putting growth in Madeira and the Azores – two island-based economies – at risk.

On top of excessive charges, a further threat to Portugal’s tourism growth looms in the form of ETS taxes which unfairly target short haul flights and have recently been proposed to include the EU’s outermost regions including Madeira from as early as 2024. If approved, tourists will face higher costs when visiting Madeira vs. other non-European holiday destinations meaning the island will likely loose visitors to non-EU destinations such as Morocco, Turkey and Jordan who are exempt from paying ETS taxes.

Ryanair has been driving Portugal’s tourism recovery, with an outstanding contribution of over €15bn to Portugal’s economy over the last 20 years, as recently quantified by an independent report by PwC. In order to continue delivering Portugal’s tourism recovery and growth across all regions of Portugal, Ryanair calls on ANAC and ANA to extend the reduction of airport charges to all Portuguese airports and calls once again on the Portuguese Govt to confirm the opening of new Lisbon airport as soon as possible.

Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:

“We’re pleased to announce our biggest ever Summer schedule today for Faro and Porto with 18 new routes (121 tot) and the addition of 4 new aircraft ($400m invest.), following reduced airport charges at both airports. Regrettably airport charges have significantly increased at Lisbon, Madeira and Azores, putting growth – especially for two island-based economies completely dependent on tourism – at risk.   

We are calling on ANA and ANAC today to extend reduction in charges to all airports to encourage growth and boost tourism, Portugal’s no.1 economic driver.

For our Portuguese customers/visitors who will now benefit from Ryanair’s growth at Faro and Porto with 18 exciting new routes to avail of this summer, we are launching a 3-day seat sale with fares from just €29.99 which must be booked by 23^rd December for travel from April to October next year.