Michael O'Leary, CEO of the Irish low-cost airline Ryanair, said Monday, during the release of the company's financial results, "We are running out of patience with Israel and with flights to and from Ben-Gurion Airport. If the disruptions and security disturbances continue, it would be better to relocate the aircraft elsewhere in Europe." Ryanair has already postponed its flights to Israel until June 4.
Simultaneously, Ryanair announced that it plans to increase ticket prices this year, following a 16% drop in annual profits.
The company stated that passengers should expect a sharp hike in fares, with increases ranging from 5% to 20% as early as this summer. The announcement comes one year after the airline attempted to boost passenger numbers and offset a significant downturn by slashing ticket prices.
Ryanair's pre-tax profits fell to €1.78 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31, down from €2.13 billion the previous year. This decline came after executives cut ticket prices by an average of 7% in an effort to drive traffic. Post-tax profits also took a hit, falling to €1.61 billion.
Despite the lower fares, passenger numbers rose by 9% over the past year, reaching 200.2 million. However, future growth prospects appear limited, with only a 3% increase projected for 2025–26, due to delays in Boeing aircraft deliveries.
The group admitted that it had to lower fares last year in an effort to attract more passengers, citing consumer spending pressures, the timing of Passover, and a steep drop in bookings through online travel agencies.
Airlines have also been impacted by Boeing's woes, including a prolonged strike at the end of last year. Ryanair had to slow the pace of 737 Max aircraft acquisitions after a door panel exploded on a commercial flight in January of the previous year.
Additional challenges include concerns over tariffs, with Ryanair recently warning that aircraft deliveries may be delayed if tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump make them more expensive.
Paperless check-in
A major change in Ryanair's service originally slated to go into effect earlier this year has now been postponed: a complete switch to paperless boarding passes. This change, initially set for March, is now scheduled for November 2025. If implemented by the new deadline, Ryanair passengers will no longer download and print physical boarding passes; instead, they will use digital boarding passes generated through their "myRyanair" app during check-in. The airline says nearly 80% of its 200 million passengers are already using digital boarding passes.
Ryanair also said it expects to eliminate nearly all airport check-in fees starting November 2025, as all passengers will check in online or via the app.
