The Irish airline Ryanair expects to reduce the number of flights during winter due to high fuel costs resulting from the war in the Middle East. The company considered it "sensible" to reduce fuel needs during the winter season, which is unprofitable. As a consequence, the carrier lowered its traffic target for the fiscal year ending in April 2027, from the initially planned 216 million to 214 million passengers.
Ryanair, which operates mainly in Europe, generally posts losses between November and March, as demand decreases after the peak summer season. The company indicated that it expects this "one-time reduction of the winter program" to reduce losses in the period by 70 million to 100 million euros.
The carrier warned that short-haul flight fares in Europe could "increase significantly" if high oil prices persist until the summer of 2027. Still, since most of the fuel for the current fiscal year is covered by contracts at around 67 dollars per barrel, well below current prices, Ryanair remains on track to post profits in 2026/27. The company estimates, however, that net profit will be lower than the record value of 2.17 billion euros recorded in 2025/26.
