Ryanair Posts €2.4 billion Pre-Tax Profit and Turns to AI and Pay Freezes to Offset Fuel

Ryanair will use AI and temporary pay freezes to cut costs after pre-tax profit fell 16% to €2.4 billion in the six months to the end of September, the airline said as it withheld full-year guidance. CityAM reported the results on November 2, 2026.

Ryanair's Fuel Hedge and Cost Review

Michael O'Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, said energy costs facing European airlines will be "significantly higher next year" because many fixed-price jet fuel contracts will run out. Carriers have dealt with higher jet fuel prices since the Iran war began in February, and O'Leary expects costs to "remain elevated well into" next year. Ryanair will need to reduce spending to offset €2 billion in higher costs.

He said: "To help address this, we're reviewing all costs across group airlines with a particular focus on airport churn negotiations […] maturing labour agreements (which may require temporary pay freezes), lower crewing ratios and increased use of AI to drive further operational and back-office/support functions productivity."

Jet fuel prices doubled in the period, while revenue rose four per cent to €5.5 billion. Passenger numbers rose six per cent to 125.8m and fares fell four per cent. Ryanair has hedged 80 per cent of its jet fuel requirements at a fixed price of €67 per barrel for the current financial year, which it said widened its cost advantage over other EU competitors. For next year, only 25 per cent of its energy needs are hedged at about €95 per barrel. O'Leary declined to give profit targets for the full year, saying volatile oil prices and last-minute booking behaviour make it "too early to provide meaningful […] guidance". Ryanair operates 620 aircraft at more than 200 airports and introduced 126 new routes in the past six months.

Ryanair's Cash Position and Fleet

According to akta.pro company records, Ryanair carried 208.4 million passengers in FY2026, up 4% year on year, on group revenue of €15.54 billion, down 11% from the prior year. The same records show a record after-tax profit of €2.26 billion for FY2026, up 40% year on year. Boeing is its sole aircraft supplier, with 172 Boeing 737 Gamechanger aircraft delivered by October 2025.

Ryanair's Berlin Base Closure and Earlier Moves

In October 2026, Ryanair announced it would close its Berlin airport base on October 24 and relocate seven aircraft to lower-cost bases in Sweden and Albania, citing a 50% increase in Berlin airport fees since 2019, according to akta.pro company records. In June 2026, the airline updated its family seating policy in response to a UK CMA investigation, providing free adjacent seat allocation for children at check-in instead of the prior mandatory £8 charge, the same records show.

Ryanair's Bag Drop Change

Ryanair will close bag drop one hour before departure instead of 40 minutes from November 10, The Irish Times reported, a change aimed at giving 20% of passengers more time to clear security and reducing missed flights. Passengers checking in online are unaffected.