Budget airline Ryanair made a lower profit last quarter compared to a year ago. The company attributes this to lower ticket prices and higher fuel and personnel costs. According to Michael O’Leary, ticket prices are still under pressure in the current quarter.
The price fighter worked on ticket prices in Germany in order to remain competitive, especially compared to the recently acquired industry partner Air Berlin. The ticket price was also under pressure in the United Kingdom because Britons have less money left for travel due to the upcoming Brexit.
The profit in the first quarter of the broken financial year fell to 243 million euros, against 309 million euros in the same period last year. Ryanair did carry more passengers. The number increased by 11 percent to nearly 42 million. Revenues also increased by 11 percent to more than 2.3 billion euros.
Ryanair expects an order for Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to be further delayed. The Irish airline expected to receive the first five out of 58 aircraft ordered in December, but has now adjusted that until January. Due to this delay, the budget airline expects to have only 30 new 737 MAXs in use next summer. This is expected to save Ryanair 5 million passengers in the coming financial year.