Ryanair Continues Operations in Greece Amidst Wildfires
Europe’s largest airline, Ryanair, has announced that it is closely monitoring the situation in Greece as wildfires continue to ravage the country. Despite the ongoing crisis, the airline has reported a significant increase in profits for the first quarter of the year.
Neil Sorahan, the company’s chief financial officer, revealed that Ryanair is maintaining a “full schedule” of flights to Greece, including the island of Rhodes, where evacuation efforts are underway. He also stated that the extreme heatwave affecting southern Europe has not resulted in a surge of cancellations for the airline.
Sorahan emphasized that Ryanair has not deemed it necessary to add additional flights to Rhodes at this time. While some customers are eager to return home, others still wish to travel to the affected areas. As long as it remains safe and airports remain open, Ryanair will continue to operate flights to and from Greece.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Ryanair has not experienced a significant number of cancellations. However, the airline has noticed some passengers seeking to reschedule their flights to earlier dates.
While other airlines, such as Jet2, TUI, and Correndon, have canceled flights to Rhodes in the coming days, Ryanair’s rival, easyJet, has scheduled two repatriation flights for Monday and another for Tuesday. Jet2 has also announced plans for three additional flights from the island.
As authorities in Corfu begin evacuating tourists by sea, Ryanair remains vigilant and closely monitors the situation. The airline’s profits for the first quarter of the year have quadrupled, reaching €663 million (£573 million). This increase is attributed to a record number of passengers carried in May and June, as well as a 42% rise in average fares compared to the same period last year.
Despite the positive financial results, Ryanair remains cautiously optimistic about the future. The company acknowledges the possibility of needing to lower prices to stimulate bookings in the coming winter due to the cost of living pressures. Additionally, Ryanair has adjusted its annual passenger growth forecast to 9% for the year ending in March 2024 due to ongoing delays in the delivery of new, more efficient aircraft from Boeing.
Neil Sorahan, in an interview with Reuters, stated that while the situation has improved, there are still delays primarily caused by factors beyond Boeing’s control.
Overall, Ryanair continues to operate in Greece amidst the wildfires, closely monitoring the situation while maintaining a full flight schedule. The airline remains committed to serving its customers and ensuring their safety during this challenging time.
