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RYANAIR’S PLANES ARE more packed than ever before as record numbers of passengers use the low-cost carrier.
The Irish budget airline today released official traffic figures for August, when a record 9.4 million punters flew in its jets – four per cent higher than in the same month last year.
The carrier reported a “load factor”, or the proportions of bums to seats, of 93 per cent, up from 89 per cent last August.
Ryanair chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs said the company’s low fares and “improving customer experience” had been among the factors contributing to the growth.
“The launch of our new family and business products have been extremely successful and have contributed significantly to these highest-ever load factors in Ryanair’s history,” he said.
That’s lots more passengers than Aer Lingus, by the way
In a jab at its more upmarket rival, Ryanair pointed out its monthly passenger figures for August were almost the same as the Aer Lingus’s 9.6 million fares for all 2013.
Earlier this year, the low-cost carrier’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, flagged going head-to-head against the national airline on the long-haul route to the US with fares to New York and Boston starting from €10.
Aer Lingus’s planes were only 68 per cent full on short-haul flights last year, although the figure for long-haul flights was 82 per cent.
Lingus goes to Leeds
In a recent announcement, Aer Lingus Regional said from October 23 it would be running a regular service from Dublin to Bradford Airport in Leeds.
Operator Stobart Air will fly 13 planes a week between the destinations in a partnership with Aer Lingus.
Stobart’s managing director Julian Carr said the service would help UK-based passengers connect with long-haul flights to the US via Dublin.
READ: Ryanair has taken the wraps off its business class ‘goodies’ (but there’s no little blue curtain)
READ: Soaring profits for Ryanair – but it’s not getting carried away with excitement
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Delighted to hear they’re doing well and I can’t wait for the cheap transatlantic flights. I have zero patience for people who complain that their 10 Euro flight to London was a little cramped!
They wont have transatlantic.
They will, once the price for aircraft drops.
That means never.
Bog, Glen and Ablitive will tell us that another false flag is being planned, by the Z ionists or the Rothchilds, and that another 9/11 will happen, thats when the prices will fall.
Certainly the greatest Irish company of the modern era – it put Irish aviation on the map, is still growing fast and is up there with the best in terms of passenger numbers.
Transatlantic next……
Transatlantic is a different kettle of fish. People pay big bucks and expect comfort and a decent standard of inflight service. They’ll need legroom for a start.
Niall. Ryanair know this….
True, but Jetblue have already said they’ll get they before Ryanair, and they already have a working agreement in other areas with Aer Lingus.
Ryanair too have said their transatlantic flight business plan is entirely dependent on sourcing planes cheaply. There’s none available at the moment
Niall would you like to go into business with aer lingus?the constant threat of strike,the problems withe the pension fund,the spoiled staff they have,that are protected by a strong union that would strike if someone looked at them the wrong way?the constant dip in profits.
Irish aviation has been on the map a long time. It wasn’t Ryanair.
It may have been on the map alright.but Ryanair turned the whole aviation industry on its head and made the cost of flying more affordable for people like me and you
AL need to pony up about 4 years profit to stabilise the pension fund. How can they grow with that millstone around their necks?
Let Michael o Leary take over it.
Great company
You don’t aspire to much do you ?
Used Ryanair for the first time last week Dublin to Birmingham €20 great service.
Are you the 60 yr old who does the ‘two’s company’ ad?
How do I get a gig as a paid hack for Ryanair on comments pages ?
Brilliant company just follow the rules and it’s simple and cost effective. Fly to Liverpool every 3 weeks and generally costs me about 40 return. Couldn’t do it without Ryanair as aer lingus charge about 100 to 120 return for same flights
Even on weekends when Liverpool are playing at home ??
Please please please make an announcement on a transatlantic route, Ryanair.
New York for a long weekend, happy days!
It’ll be at least 5 years time.
They will never do it niall
Transatlantic not gonna happen.
Got a return flight to Brussels with them for less than 50 euro – bargain
Got €12 return to Berlin in 2009, cheaper than the Aircoach!
It’s not 2009 anymore. The days of those kind of prices to places like berlin are long gone.
I paid 78 € for a return trip to Berlin, which is cheaper than what I’ll have to fork out to the Deutsche Bahn fro then getting to my home town from Berlin.
Ryanair may not offer the best service, but they’re sure as heck have mostly the cheapest airfare on offer.
Cheap flights to New York would make a huge killing for them. But I fear an 8 hour flight with zero leg room, no entertainment panel thingy in the headrest and probably landing 2 hours drive away from your supposed destination might put off some people. Paris Beauvais is well outside Paris and is nearly €70 return on bus. It all adds up. Still, Aer Lingus is overpriced and overrated.
If they provide wi-fi on transatlantic they won’t need the entertainment panel.
Haven’t flown Ryanair in a while. Lately it has been AerLingus. I love the new menu on AerLingus. The cheese board is really nice and the prices are cheaper than in the terminal.
A cracking toasted sandwich in fairness
You’re not supposed to eat the board aswell.
Fair play Ryanair
A little too full? Is there people standing now?
Yes, there is, they is standing so they is.
Well done Ryanair. Keep it up.
Cool the Jets.
10 euro to New York one seat you mean .o the crew have to fly there and back do a 19 hour duty no rest o yeah you can do that hitter almighty doesn’t recognise unions
It will be a 10 euro fare but the taxes and charges will be another 150. Probably only 5 seats at that price too. It’s nonsense that he is waiting for cheap planes . American Airlines use 757 ‘ s from the 70 ‘ s to fly the route and they are cheap to buy/lease.
Michael you were an account you have 300 aircraft of course you will have carried more passengers .don’t need to be a rocket scientist to work that one out .
Ryanair did not turn aviation on it’s head, deregulation did. Anybody who thinks we would still be paying extortionate air fares if it wasn’t for Ryanair probably also believe that if it wasn’t for Henry Ford we would all still be on bicycles. Deregulation brought about low fares. If you didn’t have Ryanair in Ireland we would have Easyjet.
As long as they keep landing, I can deal with bag rage
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