Ryanair becomes first European airline to carry 200m passengers in a year
Ryanair flew 200.2 million passengers in its fiscal year to the end of March, largely as forecast, making it the first European airline to carry 200 million passengers in one year. Picture: PA
Ryanair flew 200.2 million passengers in its fiscal year to the end of March, largely as forecast, making it the first European airline to carry 200 million passengers in one year.
Ryanair said at the end of January that it expected its annual traffic to reach almost 200 million, up 9% year-on-year. It flew 15 million passengers in March, 10% more than a year ago, Ryanair said on Wednesday.
The airline, Europe's largest by passenger numbers, cut its forecast for the coming year for the second time in three months in January to 206 million passengers from 210 million due to Boeing aircraft delivery delays.
Meanwhile Ryanair has lost its fight against €650m of Polish state aid granted to Polish airline LOT after Europe's second-highest court sided with EU competition authorities which allowed the subsidy.
European Union governments provided billions of euros in aid to their national airlines at the height of the covid pandemic as travel restrictions and plunging demand hammered air travel. The European Commission in its 2020 decision said the Polish aid, which consisted of a €400m subsidised loan and a €250m capital injection, was necessary and appropriate to help LOT weather the crisis.
The Luxembourg-based General Court endorsed the decision. "The Commission did not commit a manifest error in finding in the contested decision that LOT was unable to find financing on the markets at affordable terms," judges said.
Ryanair, which has won and also lost legal challenges against subsidies granted to its covid-hit rivals, can appeal only on points of law to the Court of Justice of the European Union, Europe's highest.
Reuters
