Ryanair becomes first airline to carry 10 million international passengers in one month
Budget carrier Ryanair said it became the first airline to fly more than 10 million international passengers in a month as its customer service overhaul continues to boost business.
The Irish no-frills carrier, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, notched up a record 10.1 million customers in July, up 11% from a year earlier.
It also carried its planes 95% full, up from 91% a year ago, marking its highest ever load factor.
In a swipe at Aer Lingus, which has been at the centre of a takeover saga, Ryanair claimed its monthly passenger traffic was more than Aer Lingus carried throughout the whole of 2014.
Ryanair has rolled out a raft of initiatives to win over fliers, including allocated seating, new seats with more leg room, improved in-flight meals, extra carry-on luggage and more business-friendly schedules.
It is also promising new aircraft interiors and updated uniforms for cabin crew, as well as a redesigned website, app and booking features such as ’hold the fare’ under a second year of its customer programme.
Ryanair saw earnings soar 66% to €867 million in the year to the end of March as its improvements paid off, while it also attracted more business customers.
Profits in the first three months of its new financial year also rose strongly, up 25% to €245 million as passenger numbers leapt 16% to 28 million in the period.
The group also offered good news for holidaymakers last month when it forecast falls in air fares thanks to lower fuel costs for airlines and industry-wide discounting.
Ryanair recently agreed to sell its 29.8% stake in Aer Lingus, helping pave the way for the €1.3 billion takeover by British Airways owner International Airlines Group.
