The delivery of nine aircraft, planned for the current quarter, has been postponed to the following quarter. The risk of further delays also remains high, which is why Ryanair considers it “prudent” to reduce the number of expected passengers. Instead of the 215 million previously planned, the airline now expects 210 million for the 2026 financial year.
These delivery delays at Boeing had already weighed on the carrier’s results and traffic last year.
Ryanair also reported on Monday a net profit of 1.4 billion euros in the second quarter of its staggered financial year, down 6% compared to the same period of the previous financial year, weighed down by tickets cheaper than expected.
The “final result” of the current financial year “will depend on the absence of unfavorable developments” over the remaining two quarters, for example the risk linked to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East or, therefore, further delivery delays of Boeing, underlined the CEO of Ryanair, Michael O’Leary, quoted in a press release.
Ticket prices, which had fallen by 15% in the first quarter, already affecting results, fell by 7% in the second (from July to the end of September). Passenger traffic increased by 9%.
“Forward bookings suggest that demand in the third quarter is strong and the price decline appears to be easing,” commented Mr O’Leary. But “we remain cautious about the outlook for average rates” for this quarter, “and we expect them to be slightly lower” than those of the same period last year, he added.
Claiming to have “virtually no visibility on the fourth quarter”, the boss noted that this quarter will not include the Easter period, like last year, which will make the comparison “difficult”.
