Ryanair carried 5 per cent more passengers last year even after Europe’s biggest discount airline cut winter capacity for the first time.
The Dublin-based airline sold 76.4 million seats in 2011, it said in a statement, versus 72.7 million the year before, with the load factor unchanged at 82 per cent.
The increase would have been bigger had 2010 figures not included 1.45 million people who could not fly after a volcanic eruption closed Europe’s airports.
Last month’s passenger total fell 5 per cent to 4.8 million as Ryanair grounded up to 80 jets, more than usual for winter. – (Bloomberg)