Ryanair passenger traffic jumps 8% as holidaymakers splurge during Easter

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary. 

Ryanair passenger traffic grew 8% last month as consumers splurged on travel plans during the Easter break.

The airline said it carried an extra one million passenger compared to March 2023, reaching a total 13.6 million guests last month as cost pressures for consumers with more disposable income may have eased amid cooling inflation.

Ryanair operated over 77,000 flights in the month, but nearly 1000 flights were cancelled due to disruptions in Israel.

In February, the airline said the disruptions were due to the inaccessibility of one of the terminals in Israel’s Tel Aviv airport rather than due to the war in Gaza.

The Tel Aviv Ben-Gurion International Airport’s low-cost Terminal 1 was “no longer being accessible for low cost, low fare airlines” said the airline in a statement in February.

“Ryanair remains committed to Tel Aviv and looks forward to resuming operations when the low-cost Terminal 1 is re-opened,” the airline said at the time.

The Terminal is expected to reopen on June 1.