Ryanair and Wizz Air traffic rises in August, Ryanair cuts schedule
(Alliance News) - Ryanair Holdings PLC and Wizz Air Holdings PLC on Wednesday both reported higher traffic last month compared with a year earlier, but Ryanair cut its schedule for the coming winter amid fears of stubbornly high oil prices.
Dublin-based Ryanair said it carried 22.2 million passengers in August, up 6% from 21.0 million a year before. The load factor was unchanged at 96%.
Ryanair said it operated over 120,500 flights last month, although more than 400 were cancelled due to eruptions of Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy.
On a rolling 12-month basis, Ryanair carried 214.4 million passengers, up 5% from 203.6 million a year earlier. Load factor was unchanged at 94%.
Ryanair cut its full-year 2027 traffic target to 214 million passengers from 216 million to reduce its exposure to unhedged oil prices during the winter months, which are generally less profitable.
The company said it expects fares for short flights to increase "materially" if oil prices remain high, "as some less well-hedged competitors will struggle to maintain capacity or even to survive this coming winter season." Ryanair said the schedule change would reduce losses by a range between EUR70 million and EUR100 million.
Budapest-based Wizz Air said it carried 8.70 million passengers in August, up 26% from 6.9 million a year before. Capacity rose 25% to 9.10 million seats, which the company said was a slowdown in the rate of seat growth but was consistent with its guidance. Load factor 95.6% in August, up from 94.8%.
On a rolling 12-month basis, Wizz carried 77.8 million passengers, up 18% from 66.1 million a year before. Its load factor was 91.0%, down from 91.1%.
Wizz highlighted the opening of its base at Santiago de Compostela, Spain, which will start offering services from February 2027. The company did not comment on high fuel costs.
Ryanair shares were up 2.1% at EUR23.20 in Dublin early Thursday. Wizz Air shares were up 0.4% at 1,065.00 pence in London.
By Camilla Borri, Alliance News reporter
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