Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has told a press conference in Warsaw that he believes that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East involving the United States Israel and Iran disrupts global air travel with a notable collapse in bookings to the region and a corresponding surge in short-haul European flights particularly for the Easter period.
He predicted that tourism flows to the Persian Gulf will suffer damage lasting one to two years as travellers avoid the area due to safety concerns and ongoing instability though he expects regional governments to eventually attract visitors back through discounts and promotions.
O’Leary stated that the broader aviation sector faces challenges from surging oil prices which have risen roughly 30pc this year pushing up jet fuel costs but Ryanair remains insulated because the airline hedges fuel for the next 12 months to March 2027 at around 67 dollars per barrel equivalent to approximately 62 euro per barrel at current exchange rates.
He expressed confidence that the war would end relatively quickly citing Iran’s limited capacity for sustained retaliation and suggested that external political factors would accelerate the resolution. O’Leary added that Ryanair will prioritise repatriating stranded customers from locations such as Jordan while maintaining its low-fare model without immediate cost increases from the crisis.
