Passenger traffic up at Ryanair despite cancellation scandal

Much-publicised flight cancellations in September and October have failed to sate the appetite of passengers for Irish airline Ryanair, which reported a 6 per cent boost in its passenger numbers in November.

According to the airline, it grew its traffic by 6 per cent to 9.3 million customers in November, while its load factor advanced by 1 per cent to 96 per cent. This means that on a rolling annual basis, traffic at the airline is up 11 per cent to 128.7 million customers.

Kenny Jacobs, communications manager with Ryanair, said: "Ryanair's November traffic grew by 6 per cent to 9.3 million customers, while our load factor jumped 1 per cent to 96 per cent, on the back of lower fares."

Cancellation of a number of flights in the winter schedule is also likely to have positively impacted load factors.

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Last month, the airline reported an 11 per cent rise in net profit to €1.3 billion in the six months to September 30th.

Cancelling flights

Following controversy over flight cancellations in September, Ryanair said sales were 7 per cent higher at €4.4 billion during the period, which is the first half of Ryanair’s financial year, from €4.1 billion over the same period last year.

The company confirmed that the cost of cancelling flights up to March next year, which will affect about 700,000 customers, will come to €25 million.

Problems with rostering pilots forced the carrier to cancel flights and then slow the rate at which it planned to grow through the winter.

Chief executive Michael O’Leary said it had rebooked the overwhelming majority of affected passengers on alternative flights or compensated them. The airline also issued every customer affected with travel vouchers worth €40 one way or €80 return.

Mr O’Leary said the cost of proposed pay increases for pilots, and for recruiting and training new ones, will come to €45 million.

The chief executive said Ryanair saw no reason to change its estimate that profits for the 12 months to March 31st next will be €1.4 billion-€1.45 billion.