Ryanair Lowers Full-Year Passenger Growth Targets

Ryanair has trimmed its passenger number targets for its current financial year, running up to the end of next March.

The carrier now expects to carry 214 million passengers across its entire route network, instead of 216 million as previously expected.

The move is in reaction to high jet fuel prices – brought about by the Middle East crisis – and the extent to which Ryanair remains unhedged.

The airline said it remains on track to grow summer traffic – measured as between April and October – by more than 5%, to around 145 million customers. It currently has 80% of its financial year 2027 (up to March 31 2027) hedged at $67 per barrel.

Ryanair’s latest monthly operational data shows that the airline carried 22.2 million passengers across its entire route network last month; 6% up on the month of August last year.

Load factor – an important operating metric for airlines, showing how full planes really are – was stable at 96%.

In all, Ryanair operated more than 120,500 flights in August. However, more than 400 scheduled flights were cancelled due to volcanic activity at Mount Etna in Italy.

On a rolling August to August 12-month basis, Ryanair grew passenger numbers by 5%, to 214.4 million customers.