Ryanair announces a profit loss of 20% during the strike week in Portugal, Spain and Belgium

The airline Ryanair announced a net profit of 319 million euros in the first fiscal quarter (from April to 30 June), or 20% less than during the same period of time. last year. The company explains the slowdown in the results with the decrease in the average ticket price of 4% (to 38.68 €), the increase in fuel and labor costs.

Ryanair also claims that part of the Easter holidays "were outside the first quarter" and that air traffic controllers' strikes and lack of personnel in several European countries caused the cancellation of 2 500 flights between April and June.

Ryanair's president, Michael O 'Leary, pointed out that, despite the 7% increase in passenger traffic and 9%, the turnover has increased to 2 079 million euros

. With regard to cancellations, the "load factor" – which records the percentage of seats occupied in each plane – rose to 96%, a "significant figure" in the sector. Auxiliary sales, which include on-board sales, baggage surcharges or priority boarding expenses, increased by 25%.

O 'Leary reported that worker costs increased by 34% after pilot salaries and 3% for other employees. "

The company notes that" working agreements with pilot unions and cabin crews "were signed after recognizing last December – for the first time – the independent unions

But there was no consensus.In this context, there were a hundred pilots in Ireland – 25% of the total in the country – to call three strikes in July and unions in Portugal, Spain and Belgium declared stops on 25 and 26, which will require the suspension of 600 Ryanair flights during these two days

"We minimize the impact of these strikes on our customers by suspending a small portion of the long-awaited flight schedule for those days in order to allow passengers to change their correspondence or to receive a refund They did not pay the amount they spent, "the airline said in a statement.

questioning the model of low tariffs

Ryanair assures that it will continue to "trade" actively with unions "across Europe" and that "despite the Anticipation of more moves during the summer "is ready to yield to" so many unreasonable demands "that" may call into question the very effective model of low rates. "

For the company, the impact of the p Rewards can increase the average ticket price.