Ryanair flew 17m passengers in May, climbing 10% on 2022

Overall, Ryanair has shown a robust recovery post-pandemic lockdown measures as passenger numbers continue to grow

Earlier this week, Ryanair pressed the EU to protect overflights amid ongoing strikes.

Budget airline Ryanair flew 17m passengers last month, a 10% increase on the same period a year earlier.

New figures supplied by Ryanair showed the airline operated more than 94,000 flights in May, but 300 flights and about 54,000 passengers were impacted by French air traffic control strikes to protest the pension reforms that have been imposed by president Emmanuel Macron.

Earlier this week, Ryanair pressed the EU to protect overflights amid ongoing strikes.

Ryanair delivered its ‘Protect Overflights: Keep EU Skies Open’ petition to EU Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen’s office, having collected more than 1.1m signatures from customers.

“It is unacceptable that ATC strikes can result in the cancellation of thousands of EU passengers’ flights, while France and other EU member states use Minimum Service Laws to protect their domestic flights,” said Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary.

Overall, Ryanair has shown a robust recovery post-pandemic as passenger numbers continue to grow.

Earlier this month, the airline also ordered 300 new Boeing 737-Max-10 aircraft for delivery between 2027 to 2033 in a deal is valued at over $40bn (€37bn) at current list prices and is the largest order ever placed by an Irish company for US manufactured goods.

"Nearly a quarter century after our companies signed our first direct airplane purchase, this landmark deal will further strengthen our partnership," said Boeing president and CEO Dave Calhoun.

The deal is set to create 10,000 new jobs.