Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s CEO, has announced in a recent press conference that the company’s profit rose by 10% in the first nine months of the year, compared with 2011 results. The low cost airline reached a total of 48 million passengers – a six-month record – and a 15% increase in revenue, which reached 3.1 billion euros.
Despite Europe’s obvious economic problems, Ryanair doesn’t try to offer extras, but keeps its pattern: seats deprived of pockets, tawdry colored cabin interiors or the canned trumpet fanfare that notifies “yet another on-time arrival”. Although frequently the target of complaints and passenger dissatisfaction with their air travel conditions, their low prices keep flyers coming back.Â
O’Leary stated that they seek expansion and the carrier is focusing on two new bases: Paphos in Cyprus and Maastricht in the Netherlands, with an additional 158 new routes being launched, with puts their total daily flights at more than 1.500. Asked about transatlantic flights, Ryanair’s CEO said that he thinks it’s unlikely to see one “for the next three or four years”.
As many experts imply, it seems that future long distance ambitions might be a factor in the company’s ongoing interest in buying Aer Lingus, its Irish rival. Eleanor O’Higgins, author and teacher in the School of Business at University College Dublin, said that, if they do acquire Aer Lingus, “they have this ready-made way of trying to launch a budget transatlantic service”. She added that, in the middle of its third attempt to take over Aer Lingus, Ryanair might consider working on shorter routes, such as Dublin-New York, and foresees that they may have to compromise by providing free meals, extra leg room and scope to bring more luggage.
By Olivia GrilHey Folks! I'm Olivia from California, United States. I'm a blogger, travel lover, I can travel anywhere, whether it's a new place or already visited. I love meeting new people, clicking photos of every movement, and documenting my adventure. I also, write about travel, travel movies, the best places to visit, etc. Read my stories.
