Ryanair has insisted it will not cancel flights this summer despite ongoing concerns across the aviation sector about jet fuel supplies and rising oil prices.
The airline said it had adjusted ticket pricing in recent weeks to stimulate bookings as some passengers remained cautious over potential disruption linked to fuel availability. However, the carrier stressed that its fuel needs for the peak summer season have already been secured through hedging agreements.
Chief executive Michael O'Leary said all scheduled routes across Europe would continue to operate.
“European airlines have enough fuel for the summer,” O’Leary said, while acknowledging that the company had been “very worried” earlier this year about possible shortages of jet fuel.
He said Europe had diversified fuel supplies away from reliance on the blocked Strait of Hormuz, sourcing additional supplies from west Africa, the Americas and Norway.
Although supply concerns have eased, O’Leary warned that prices remain significantly higher following unrest in the Middle East. Oil prices, he said, climbed from about $70 (€60) per barrel before the conflict to as high as $140 at one point.
Ryanair has already hedged 80 per cent of its fuel requirements through to the end of March next year at approximately $67 per barrel, limiting the airline’s exposure to rising costs. The remaining 20 per cent, however, will still be purchased at prevailing market prices.
Separately, O’Leary sharply criticised plans by DAA to invest €5.6 billion in expanding Dublin Airport, warning that Ryanair would halt expansion at the airport if passenger charges increased significantly.
“It’s a waste,” he said, arguing that the airport could achieve similar passenger growth by adding a new pier to Terminal 1 at a fraction of the projected cost.
Ryanair claims the expansion proposal could push airport charges to as much as €40 per passenger, costs it says would ultimately be passed on through higher air fares.
DAA disputes those figures, maintaining that average passenger charges would rise only to €13 from the current cap of €10.50. The operator says the investment would increase the airport’s capacity by 10 million passengers annually, allowing it to handle more than 45 million travellers each year.
O’Leary contrasted Dublin Airport’s plans with developments elsewhere in Europe, noting that London Stansted Airport plans to spend £1.1 billion (€1.2 billion) to increase annual passenger numbers from 30 million to 43 million.
He also pointed to Spanish airport operator Aena, which plans to invest €9 billion across 46 airports over five years to raise passenger capacity from 320 million to 400 million annually.
According to O’Leary, Ryanair could grow passenger traffic at Dublin Airport to 23.5 million by 2032 from 17.7 million in 2025 if passenger charges are frozen and legislation removing the airport’s 32 million passenger annual cap is approved.
He further argued that Dublin Airport could ultimately accommodate up to 60 million passengers annually following the opening of its second runway, although he accepted that some terminal expansion would still be necessary.
In response, DAA rejected O’Leary’s criticism of airport facilities, particularly his comments regarding passenger lounges.
“Lounges in both terminals were consistently full last year,” the company said, adding that some passengers had to be turned away due to demand.
DAA also rejected claims regarding spending on landscaping, stating that funds allocated for wildflowers related to mandatory habitat replacement measures rather than cosmetic projects.
