Ryanair profits fell sharply this summer as passengers turned their backs on higher fares, with Europe’s largest airline admitting that it had been “over-scheduled, over-crewed and over-costed”.
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The Dublin-based airline said it was cutting its projected passenger growth next year partly because Boeing’s strikes have resulted in delays to 737 Max deliveries. It has received 172 737 Max aircraft, which are larger and more fuel-efficient than the previous generation, but is waiting for scores more.
Ryanair, which vies with easyJet to be the UK’s busiest airline, still expects to carry up to 200 million passengers in the year to March but has moderated its target for the following year from 215 million to 210 passengers.