Ryanair launches price war
Ryanair has declared a price war on its no-frills rivals by launching its biggest ever seat sale.
The airline, which is now quoting all of its fares inclusive of taxes, is offering 10 million seats across Europe from just £10.
Around 3.5 million seats will be offered for £10, including taxes, with another 3.5 million for £15 and the rest for £20.
Ryanair believes the seat sale will help it reach its target of carrying more than 52 million customers this year compared with 42 million in 2006.
It also announced that if passengers find a cheaper fare on the same route with any other airline, it will pay double the difference between the two fares, even though it expects the move to cost the airline around £1 million.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary accepted the moves would put further downward pressure on both prices and profits but said it would help consumers and damage competitors.
His pledge came just hours after rival Easyjet vowed to slash its fares to fill seats due to falling passenger numbers.
EasyJet unveiled a near 50% drop in first-half profits, due to higher taxes, rising interest rates and environmental concerns (see earlier story).
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025