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Date Published: 07/03/2024

Fewer flights and more expensive tickets: Ryanair predicts a pricey summer for travellers

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Flights to Spain and other popular destinations are likely to rise by as much as 10% in July, August and September

Fewer flights and more expensive tickets: Ryanair predicts a pricey summer for travellers

Ryanair, Europe's largest budget airline, has issued a warning that summer airfares could increase by up to 10% due to problems with Boeing and Airbus planes. The Irish carrier attributes the potential price hike to issues with the manufacturers, which have resulted in delayed deliveries and reduced capacity.

According to Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary, the company may need to cut its summer schedules as it awaits the delivery of dozens of Boeing Max 737-8200s, which have been delayed due to increased scrutiny following an incident involving an Alaska Airlines plane in January.

As a result, only 45 of the 57 aircraft ordered are expected to arrive in time for the summer season, leading to a shortfall in capacity.

Moreover, O'Leary notes that the grounding of some Airbus A320 fleets belonging to European competitors has further reduced capacity, resulting in higher prices among dozens of different airlines across Europe. He advises customers to book early to "ensure the lowest airfares available."

Last summer saw a surge in flight prices due to pent-up demand meeting limited capacity among European carriers. But since capacity is still going to be an issue this coming July, August and September in particular, O'Leary expects prices to continue rising.

Some of Ryanair's busiest routes include Rome-Catania, Rome-Palermo and Rome-London, and the airline anticipates having to reduce its passenger load from 205 million planned by the end of March 2025 to 200 million.

The impact of the aircraft issues on Ryanair's operations is significant, as the carrier had planned to expand its fleet and offer additional flights during the peak summer season. Instead, it will have to rely on leased aircraft and adjust its schedules accordingly.

However, the budget Irish airline isn’t the only one affected, and many other carriers in Spain and the rest of Europe are facing similar problems.

Both Wizz Air and Vueling will be forced to axe some routes and regular schedules this summer as they won’t have enough aircraft to satisfy the demand, while others like Lufthansa, Delta and JetBlue are also expecting to be impacted.

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