Ryanair losses

Europe’s largest airline carried only 17m passengers in the six months to the end of September, down from 86m last year.

With these numbers the airline has reported a €197m first-half loss and expects the second half of the year to be even higher.  Revenue fell by 78% to €1.18bn. The airline, which made a €1.15bn profit in the same period last year, typically makes most of its annual profit during the summer.

Michael O’Leary, outspoken as ever, but this time in line with other airline chiefs who reaffirmed plans to fly 38m passengers this financial year compared with the 149m last year. However, he said that that number could drop “if EU governments continue to mismanage air travel and impose more uncoordinated travel restrictions.”

Unlike long-haul carriers the airline does not have to manage the expense of night stopping crews, but it is currently looking to reduce the number of bases from the 79 it has across Europe, a big burden to carry.

On the question of refunds, he told BBC Breakfast “We have no customers outstanding who have requested a refund who haven’t received it.”  He said if a flight was operating, passengers would not get their money back but they could change to a later flight without a fee.  With cancelled flights Ryanair follows the rules.

See also a letter from Ryanair in this week's BTN.

www.ryanair.com/gb/en

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Gabriella Romeo, Rome

Not true I never received refund on a flight of wich the ticket was sold to me knowing that there would be no flight beforehand. Thugs like this one should disappear from aviation