Ryanair profits

A sharp rise in earnings from add-on charges for items such as baggage and pre-assigned seating helped boost Ryanair's earnings in the past year.  The airline flew 5% more passengers last year (79.3m), and added 20% on ancillaries.  Profits were lifted 13% to €569m in the year to March.

Ryanair continues to irk many people and has gained the title of “Europe’s most annoying airline”.  At a (quiet – O’Leary was in New York) press conference in London, CFO Howard Millar gave a typical presentation with plenty of truths, the occasional half truth, and in some cases nothing like the truth.  The airline has been very instrumental in persuading passengers (financially) not to take so much baggage, only 20% needing this requirement down from 80%.  The airline saves in weight and turnaround time.

With an order for 175 current generation Boeing 737-800s it has also stuck to its philosophy of not necessarily having latest equipment, initial growth created using obsolescent Lufthansa Boeing 737s.

Ryanair now operates to 180 airports in Europe but has not touched Egypt, Israel or Turkey, favoured by others.  Mr Millar claimed the airline was in discussion with 75 new airports but gave a lukewarm response as far as Tel Aviv was concerned, although ‘open skies’ is now available. www.ryanair.com

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