Ryanair Exceeds Profit Forecast and Adjusts Traffic Outlook Due to Boeing Delivery Delays

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3 months ago

Ryanair, Europe’s largest low-cost airline, has exceeded profit expectations for the third quarter of the fiscal year, thanks to improved average fares and last-minute bookings for Christmas and New Year holidays. However, the company has lowered its passenger traffic projection due to delays in the delivery of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

Profits Surpass Expectations

In the three months ending December 31, Ryanair reported a net profit of €149 million, significantly surpassing analysts’ forecast of €60 million. This increase is attributed to an unexpected 1% rise in average fares during the quarter, a significant improvement compared to the 7% drop recorded in the previous quarter.

Neil Sorahan, the airline’s Chief Financial Officer, highlighted the positive impact of last-minute holiday bookings.

→ Ryanair to cut 800,000 seats this summer in Spain due to airport taxes

For the fiscal year ending March 31, Ryanair expects to achieve a net profit after taxes in the range of €1.55 billion to €1.61 billion. Although it is still early to make projections for the summer season, initial signs indicate strong bookings and limited short-haul flight capacity in Europe, which would benefit Ryanair in the summer of 2025, according to Michael O’Leary, the company’s CEO.

Impact of Boeing Delivery Delays

Ryanair faces an adjustment in its passenger traffic projection due to delays in the delivery of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Initially, the company expected to receive nine planes of this model before the summer peak season, but the figure has been reduced, leading the airline to lower its passenger forecast for the fiscal year ending in March 2026, from 210 million to 206 million. This adjustment follows a previous reduction from the projected 215 million passengers in November.

Despite these setbacks, Ryanair expects the last 29 aircraft from its order of 210 Boeing 737 MAX planes to arrive by March 2026, potentially raising traffic to 215 million passengers for the fiscal year ending in March 2027.

Progress in Boeing’s Production

Neil Sorahan, who recently visited Boeing’s production facilities in Seattle, expressed confidence that the nine promised planes will arrive on time, highlighting significant improvements in manufacturing quality, particularly in the fuselages. However, he acknowledged that the manufacturer will not meet its production targets for this summer.

Michael O’Leary, on the other hand, mentioned that he expects Boeing to produce 38 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft monthly by the end of summer, with a potential increase to 42 units in October, subject to approval from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Future Outlook

Despite the challenges posed by aircraft delivery delays, Ryanair remains optimistic about its future performance, with a strategy focused on leveraging limited short-haul capacity in Europe. The company also trusts in Boeing’s continued production improvements to meet its medium- and long-term expansion goals.

With a focus on efficiency and sustained growth, Ryanair continues to position itself as a leader in the European low-cost airline market while navigating the industry’s challenges.