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