Ryanair recorded its busiest month ever in June as passenger numbers tripled year-on-year to nearly 16 million.
The airline's flights last month flew at an average capacity of 95%, up 23 points from June 2021.
Overall, Ryanair carried 15.9m passengers in June, an increase of 200% from the 5.3m people who flew with the carrier in June 2021.
Passenger numbers have increased on a rolling annual basis from 35.1m in the 12 months to last June to 134.5m over the past 12 months, while the average load factor has risen 14 points to 86% in that preriod.
Passenger numbers rose to 8.7m at an average load factor of 86% in February to 11.2m at 87% in March, increasing to 14.2m at 91% in April, and then 15.4m at 92% in May.
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Ryanair said on Sunday that it expects "minimal (if any) disruption" to flights operating to and from Spain in light of strikes called by the USO and SITCPLA unions from 12-28 July.
"Less than 1% of Ryanair’s flights have been affected in the past month by recent minor and poorly supported cabin crew strikes called by unions who are either not recognised by or who represent tiny numbers of Ryanair crews," the company said in a statement.
"Air traffic control and airport staff shortages across Europe, which are beyond Ryanair’s control may however cause some minor disruption and any passengers whose flights are disrupted by ATC staff shortages will be notified of their entitlements by email/SMS."
The announcements come after CEO Michael O'Leary warned that fares will rise for the next five years as ticket prices had become too cheap for the industry to remain profitable as costs rise due to rising fuel prices and environmental levies.
O'Leary expects oil prices to remain "structurally higher" for the next four or five years until "we can wean ourselves off Russian oil and gas", and that the airline sector would be faced with higher staff costs and air traffic control charges from next year.
He also took aim at the British government again over "the disaster" of Brexit, telling the Financial Times: "Withdrawing from the single market, just so that they can say ‘We got Brexit done’, was the height of idiocy. But then they are idiots."
(Pic: Adam Berry/Getty Images)
