Ryanair has issued a public defense of its fleet's safety standards following a harrowing incident earlier this month, where a passenger was nearly sucked out of an acrylic window headfirst. The event occurred during a flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, after engine failure caused debris to shatter the window. Neil Sorahan, the group chief financial officer for Ryanair, confirmed that the airline’s customer care team has been in active communication with the passenger’s family.
Sorahan praised the flight crew for their handling of the emergency, noting that they successfully returned the aircraft to Thessaloniki and that every passenger was able to walk off the plane safely. While the airline awaits the results of an investigation, Sorahan stated it is too early to determine if compensation will be issued to the couple involved. The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has taken the lead on the investigation, as the flight was operated by Ryanair subsidiary Malta Air using a Boeing 737. Ryanair is fully participating in the NTSB's independent inquiry and has staff assisting on the ground.
Addressing broader concerns, Sorahan asserted that neither the Federal Aviation Administration nor the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has required the airline to implement any operational changes. He emphasized that the Ryanair group, which operates five airlines, adheres to the highest European aviation standards and maintains a relatively young fleet. He described the Boeing 737 as one of the safest aircraft models ever built, supported by hundreds of millions of successful flights globally.
Despite the incident and broader geopolitical tensions, Ryanair reports that summer bookings remain strong. However, the airline warned that passengers should prepare for potential delays. Ryanair has criticized the implementation of the EES system, which it claims has contributed to significant queueing and processing delays at various European airports, including Lisbon, Tenerife South, Madrid, and Milan Bergamo.
Financially, Ryanair reported a 34% drop in after-tax profits for the three months ending in June, falling to €538m. The airline attributed this decline primarily to a doubling in jet fuel prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East. While passenger numbers saw a 6% increase to 61.3 million, this growth was accompanied by a 6% reduction in average fares, which the airline used to stimulate demand amid economic uncertainty and consumer hesitancy. Total operating costs for the quarter rose by 11% to €3.81bn, while total revenues saw a modest 1% increase to €4.38bn.
