Aer Lingus announced that it carried 954,000 passengers in September up 5% including Aer Lingus Regional operations, with a load factor of 83.9% up 3%. The airline carried 92,000 long-haul passengers up 7% with a load factor of 87% up 5.2%, and 862,000 short-haul passengers up 2.5%, with a load factor of 82.5% up 1.9%.

The Aer Lingus Regional operation continues to grow strongly with passenger numbers up 45% to 71,000 passengers, as usual the figures excludes the United Airlines Joint Venture route from Washington Dulles to Madrid. It has been reported the frequency on the route will be reduced to four times weekly for the winter schedule.

Ryanair announced that it carried 7.25 million passengers in September up 6%, with a load factor of 85% down 1% and in the rolling 12 months to the end of September it carried 76.8 Million passengers.

The Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary recently stated the carrier plans to grow its Oslo Rygge Base from 1.5m to 2 million passengers in 2012, with the carrier expected to announce new routes early in 2012.

It was reported on the 3rd of October that Ryanair is negotiations with Ljubljana Airport and Tourism Authority, to launch a new route from Dublin to Ljubljan, while the carrier stated it plans to double its flights into Ireland West Knock Airport for summer 2012.

I enclose a link to a recent Michael O’Leary interview on Bloomberg

Ryanair Plans Swedish Domestic Flights Next Year in Push North

Irish Aviation Research Institute © 11th October 2011 All Rights Reserved.