Ryanair in talks to expand into Egypt and Libya, CEO says

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said this is the most optimistic time he has seen in air travel since taking charge of the airline in the mid-1990s as passengers return to the skies following a series of Covid-19 lockdowns. Photo: Brian Lawless

Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers, Ryanair, is in talks with authorities in Egypt and Libya about operating flights to the countries for the first time, chief executive Michael O'Leary said.

Ryanair's only flights outside of Europe currently are to and from Morocco, Israel and Jordan.

Its Hungary-based rival Wizz, which flies to Egypt and Morocco, has also been expanding aggressively into the Middle East, flying 36 routes from Abu Dhabi on its Wizz Air Abu Dhabi joint venture.

"We're talking to the Egyptians, the Libyans," Mr O'Leary told a Eurocontrol event, without giving any more details.

Mr O'Leary added that Ryanair would be the first airline to return to Ukraine when it is safe to do so. Ryanair was one of the largest foreign airlines in Ukraine before it suspended all of its flights following Russia's invasion in February.

At the event, Mr O'Leary also said this is the most optimistic time he has seen in air travel since taking charge of the airline in the mid-1990s as passengers return to the skies following a series of Covid-19 lockdowns.

"This is the most optimistic time I've seen in air travel for the last 25 years. Everybody's been locked down for two years. Tourism is getting back, hotels are filling up again, beaches are filling up again. Everyone's getting moving again," Mr O'Leary said.

Eddie Wilson, the head of Ryanair DAC, the largest airline in the group, added that the looming recession in Europe is of a different variety this time due to the build-up of savings during the pandemic and relatively full employment in the economies Ryanair operates in.

Reuters