- Ryanair carried 22.2m passengers in August 2026, up6pc
- The load factor remained at 96pc for the month
- More than 400 flights were cancelled due to Mount Etna eruptions
- FY27 traffic target has been cut from 216m to 214m
- The winter schedule cut is expected to reduce losses by €70 to €100m
Ryanair monthly passenger numbers for August reached a record 22.2m, 5.7pc ahead of August 2025 and 49pc ahead of pre-pandemic. Load factor was 96pc and rolling annual 214.4m, up 5pc on the twelve months to August 2025.
The airline operated over 120,500 flights during the month, though more than 400 services were cancelled due to Mount Etna eruptions. On a rolling twelve month basis traffic reached 214.4m guests, up fivepc, with the load factor unchanged at 94pc.
Ryanair says it remains on track to grow summer traffic from April to October by over 5pc from 138m to 145m in summer 2026, with quarter two fares trending modestly down year-on-year as guided in July. The group has hedged 80pc of financial year 2027 jet fuel at approximately $67 per barrel. With jet fuel currently trading at around $140 per barrel, the group has strategically reduced its exposure during the unprofitable winter schedule from November to March.
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