Ryanair slashes 960 flights due to Middle East conflict as passenger numbers fall

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Transport Reporter

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Ryanair cancelled 960 flights in November due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, it has been revealed.
Ryanair cancelled 960 flights in November due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, it has been revealed.

Ryanair cancelled 960 flights in November due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, it has been revealed.

In a report, the low-cost airline said it flew 11.7m passengers in November, a four per cent increase on the prior year and taking its 2023 total to 180.8m.

The number marks a significant dip on October’s figure of 17.1m. Load factor, the proportion of seats filled by passengers, sat at 92 per cent.

Airline shares dipped after Hamas invaded Israel last month, amid investor concern over route offerings and a spike in oil prices. The Irish carrier already cancelled over 870 flights in October due to the violence in the Middle East.

Ryanair has been one of the few major carriers to see shares continue rising in the quieter autumn months, following this summer’s record season of travel.

Budget rival Wizz Air reported a more measured fall in November’s passenger numbers this morning, carrying 4.8m passengers, down from 5.4m the priot month.

The Hungarian-based firm said it had decided to suspend operations in Israel until early January 2024, adding that it continues to “monitor the situation on the ground closely and stands ready to redeploy capacity should conditions stabilize.”

Chief executive József Váradi told Morning Wire in early November that the war had created a “ripple effect” on demand across neighbouring countries in the region.