businessBREAKING
Ryanair Considers Pay Freeze and Warns Summer Airfares Will Rise Sharply
Ryanair is considering a temporary pay freeze and says summer airfares will be materially higher next year.
Key points
- Ryanair's pre-tax profits fell 16% to €2.4bn in the six months to the end of September.
- The airline forecasts its fuel bill will be €2bn (£1.6bn) higher in the short term.
- Ryanair says 80% of its fuel bill was hedged, meaning bought in advance at fixed prices.
Why it matters. Travellers may face higher fares next summer and Ryanair staff could see pay frozen if fuel prices stay high, the airline said.
Ryanair is considering a temporary pay freeze for staff and says summer airfares will be materially higher next year after fuel costs jumped following the US-Israel war with Iran. Pre-tax profits fell 16% to €2.4bn in the six months to the end of September, the airline said. Chief executive Michael O'Leary said fares would need to rise by double digits, while 80% of its fuel bill had been hedged and the remainder cost more.
Latest updates
Ryanair Considers Pay Freeze and Warns Summer Airfares Will Rise Sharply
Ryanair is considering a temporary freeze on staff wages. The airline confirmed that airfares will be materially higher next summer because of a sharp rise in fuel costs. It attributed the increase to the US-Israel war with Iran. Ryanair expects fuel prices to stay high well into 2027 unless there is a swift resolution to the conflict. Its fuel bill is forecast to be €2bn (£1.6bn) higher in the short term. Chief executive Michael O'Leary said airfares would have to rise by double digits. The BBC reported the statement on November 2, 2026.
Ryanair Considers Staff Pay Freeze as Fuel Costs Surge
Ryanair is considering a temporary wage freeze for its staff to offset a sharp rise in fuel costs following the US-Israel war with Iran. The carrier said it expects fuel prices to remain high "well into 2027" unless there is a "swift resolution" to the conflict. Ryanair forecasts its fuel bill to be €2bn (£1.6bn) higher in the short term. It expects European airfares to rise to help cover the cost, but said that alone was unlikely to be enough. The airline is weighing further measures to close the gap.