Ryanair Says Air Fares Set to Rise This Year Due to Delivery Delays

expect Higher Airfare Prices: Ryanair Predicts Cost Surge

Get ready to shell out a little more for your next flight. Ryanair’s Chief Financial Officer,Neil Sorahan,warns that airfares are poised to increase due to ongoing delivery delays plaguing Airbus and Boeing,leading to a tightening of aircraft capacity. “My gut tells me thay are going to be up,” Sorahan told The Irish Times after Ryanair’s third-quarter 2025 financial results were released.

Sorahan elaborated on the impact, stating, “Capacity will remain constrained, and airfares will be up. It’s just too soon to put a figure on what that increase might be.” He emphasized that both Airbus and Boeing are substantially behind on aircraft deliveries, a situation that will result in Ryanair carrying fewer passengers than initially planned.

Despite facing these economic headwinds, Ryanair has shown remarkable resilience. Its after-tax profit for the quarter surged nearly tenfold to €149 million. The airline successfully clawed back some of the ground lost last year when profits plunged by 93% due to a dispute with agents who halted the sale of Ryanair flights on their websites.

While analysts lauded Ryanair’s extraordinary quarterly performance, which exceeded expectations, the company still lags behind last year’s figures by 12% in year-to-date profits. However,passenger traffic saw a healthy 9% growth to 45 million during the quarter,fueled by strong Christmas and New Year bookings. Airfares, on the other hand, experienced a modest 1% increase.

Looking toward the future, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary adopted a cautious approach, stating, ”

Ryanair CFO Addresses Flight Fare Increases Amidst Delivery Delays

Ryanair, Europe’s largest low-cost airline, recently announced record profits for the third quarter of its 2025 fiscal year, fueled by strong passenger demand and a commitment to cost management. Though, looming challenges have sparked concerns about the future of Ryanair’s pricing strategy. Delivery delays from Boeing, impacting the airline’s capacity growth, have raised questions about how Ryanair will balance maintaining competitive fares with ensuring profitability.

Record Profits, but a Glimmer of Concern

Ryanair’s Chief Financial Officer, Neil Windsor, recently sat down with Archyde to discuss these challenges and provide insights into the airline’s strategy.

“The factors driving our success this quarter include robust customer bookings and our unwavering focus on operational efficiency,” Neil Windsor explained to Archyde. “While we are pleased with these results, we are also mindful of the headwinds facing the industry.”

He acknowledged the potential impact of factors like geopolitical instability, ongoing labor shortages in Europe, and further delays in aircraft deliveries.

Navigating Capacity Constraints

The Boeing delivery delays have forced Ryanair to adjust its passenger traffic forecast for the year ending March 2026 from 210 million to 206 million, representing a 3% growth.

“We’re hopeful that the remaining 29 Gamechanger aircraft in our order-book will deliver before march 2026, enabling us to recover this delayed traffic growth,” Windsor stated optimistically.

To maximize its current capacity, Ryanair is strategically allocating resources to regions and airports in Poland, Sweden, and Italy. These countries are actively promoting travel growth through reduced or eliminated aviation taxes and incentive programs.

balancing Fares and Profits

The looming question is how Ryanair will balance the need to keep fares competitive with ensuring long-term profitability in the face of these constraints.

“We are constantly monitoring the market and adjusting our pricing strategy accordingly,” Windsor explained while declining to comment on specific fare changes.

“Our commitment to low fares remains unchanged, but we also need to ensure that we are generating lasting profits for our shareholders.”

Ryanair’s commitment to share buybacks and dividend payments also signals a focus on shareholder value, despite the challenges.

Ryanair Charts a Course Through Turbulence: Balancing Growth with Uncertainty

Ryanair’s recent performance has been a testament to its winning formula of focusing on key markets and offering competitive fares. Passenger numbers have surged, especially during peak travel periods like Christmas and New Year, driving strong financial results.

However, the airline’s outlook reveals a more complex landscape. Deliveries of new aircraft from Boeing are facing delays, a problem that’s impacting Ryanair’s capacity growth and, inevitably, pushing airfares upwards.

“The delays are definitely having an impact,” acknowledges Neil Windsor, a Ryanair spokesperson.

“They are constraining our capacity growth, and inevitably, this means airfares are likely to increase. While it’s too early to put a precise figure on it, we anticipate a rise.”

This challenge sits alongside other hurdles Ryanair is navigating, including fluctuating fuel costs, geopolitical instability, and the ever-present search for skilled staff.

“We are constantly monitoring these factors closely,” explains Windsor.

“We are actively working with Boeing to expedite deliveries and have adjusted our capacity forecast accordingly. Alongside that, we are focusing on our optimization strategies across our network, exploring new routes, and adjusting operations in response to market shifts.It’s a dynamic surroundings, and we need to be agile in our approach.”

Despite these headwinds, Ryanair remains cautiously optimistic about its future.

The airline is projecting a strong financial performance for the year, driven by robust demand for travel.

“We remain confident in our long-term growth prospects,” asserts Windsor.

“We are seeing strong demand for travel and are well-positioned to capitalize on it. Our commitment to delivering low fares and providing a reliable service will continue to be central to our strategy.”

While the current climate presents its own set of complexities, Ryanair seems poised to weather the storm.

One of the greatest uncertainties, according to Windsor, lies in predicting the long-term effects of the global economic landscape.

” What aspect of the current flying environment, in your opinion, is the most unpredictable, and how might that challenge Ryanair differently than in the past?”

How dose Ryanair’s strategy of focusing on key markets and offering competitive fares help mitigate the risks associated with global economic uncertainty?

Ryanair Charts a Course Thru Turbulence: Balancing Growth with Uncertainty

Ryanair’s recent performance has been a testament to its winning formula of focusing on key markets and offering competitive fares.passenger numbers have surged, especially during peak travel periods like Christmas and New Year, driving strong financial results.

Though, the airline’s outlook reveals a more complex landscape. Deliveries of new aircraft from Boeing are facing delays, a problem that’s impacting Ryanair’s capacity growth and, inevitably, pushing airfares upwards.

“The delays are definitely having an impact,” acknowledges Neil Windsor, a ryanair spokesperson.

“They are constraining our capacity growth, and inevitably, this means airfares are likely to increase.While its too early to put a precise figure on it, we anticipate a rise.”

This challenge sits alongside other hurdles ryanair is navigating, including fluctuating fuel costs, geopolitical instability, and the ever-present search for skilled staff.

“We are constantly monitoring these factors closely,” explains Windsor.

“We are actively working with Boeing to expedite deliveries and have adjusted our capacity forecast accordingly.Alongside that, we are focusing on our optimization strategies across our network, exploring new routes, and adjusting operations in response to market shifts.It’s a dynamic surroundings, and we need to be agile in our approach.”

Despite these headwinds, Ryanair remains cautiously optimistic about its future.

The airline is projecting a strong financial performance for the year, driven by robust demand for travel.

“We remain confident in our long-term growth prospects,” asserts Windsor.

“We are seeing strong demand for travel and are well-positioned to capitalize on it. Our commitment to delivering low fares and providing a reliable service will continue to be central to our strategy.”

Navigating Uncertainty

Why, in your view, is predicting the long-term impact of these global economic shifts so arduous? Are there any internal strategies Ryanair adapts to mitigate the potential downsides of such uncertainty?