IRELAND- In the three months ending June, Ryanair (FR) achieved a noteworthy profit of €663 million after taxes in the first quarter, attributing the impressive performance to a robust Easter season and an additional UK public holiday in May.
This year’s figures marked a significant upturn compared to last year’s corresponding period when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine impacted profits.
Ryanair First Quarter Profit
Passenger numbers in the first quarter soared by 11%, reaching 50.4 million, with an impressive load factor of 95%.
The budget airline’s total revenue experienced a remarkable surge of 40% to reach €3.65 billion, while revenue per passenger saw a notable increase of 27%. Average fares also surged by 42% compared to the same period in 2022, reaching approximately €49.
Strong Easter demand and the Coronation public holiday in May were credited for driving this growth in passenger traffic and revenue. Ancillary revenue saw a rise of 4%, amounting to €1.18 billion, which translates to around €23.30 per passenger.
However, Ryanair also experienced a 23% increase in operating costs during the three months up to June 30.
The surge in operating costs, amounting to €2.94 billion, was mainly attributed to higher fuel costs, escalated staff expenses, and increased air traffic control fees. Fuel costs particularly saw a sharp spike of 30%, reaching €1.34 billion during the period.
Optimistic Future
Currently, Ryanair is operating its most extensive summer schedule ever, offering over 3,200 daily flights.
Looking ahead, the airline’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, revealed that they expect FY24 traffic to grow by approximately 9% to 183.5 million, which is slightly below the initially projected 185 million.
The anticipated growth slowdown is due to Boeing delivery delays in the spring and autumn of 2023.
Despite strong Q2 bookings, O’Leary pointed out that the fare increase in Q2 would be considerably lower than in Q1 due to much stronger pricing in the same quarter of FY23, which saw a sharp rebound in peak summer travel after the Ukraine invasion.
As for the forecast for the quarter ending in September, Ryanair expects fares to be higher than the corresponding period last year by a low double-digit percentage. However, the carrier has observed a “softening” in close-in fares during late June and early July.
O’Leary emphasized that the first half of the financial year’s outcome hinges on August and September bookings. Given consumers’ ongoing concerns amidst rising mortgage rates and price inflation, he acknowledged the potential need for fare stimulation.
Ryanair’s strategic approach of load active/yield passive and its industry-leading cost base uniquely positions the airline to seize further market share. Even if it entails lower fares during the winter season.
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