Ryanair and Wizz Air carry more passengers in February

Budget airlines Ryanair Holdings PLC and Wizz Air Holdings PLC on Tuesday said they carried more passengers last month than in the same month a year ago, while keeping their planes full.

Ryanair said it carried 12.6 million passengers in February, up 14% from 11.1 million a year before. The Dublin-based carrier said it operated 71,360 flights last month with a 92% load factor, steady on a year before.

On a rolling 12-month basis, Ryanair carried 198.8 million passengers, up 8.9% from 182.6 million a year before. Load factor was unchanged at 94%.

Budapest-based Wizz Air said it carried 4.6 million passengers in February, up 5.1% from 4.4 million a year before. Capacity was increased by less than this, by 3.0%, so load factor improved to 91.8% from 90.0%.

On a rolling 12-month basis, Wizz Air carried 63.1 million passengers, up 2.6% from 61.5 million a year before, with a 91.2% load factor, improved from 90.2%.

Wizz Air noted that its environmental record improved in February, as CO2 emissions were reduced to 50.3 grammes per passenger kilometre from 51.4.

Looking ahead, Wizz Air said it is seeing ‘better than expected revenue trends’ for the first quarter of its 2026 financial year. ‘The yield environment and booking profile in February and March remained positive but moderated compared to the January year-on-year improvement,’ it said.

Wizz Air shares were down 6.6% to 1,470.00 pence in London on Tuesday morning. Ryanair was down 2.2% to €20.50 in Frankfurt. Airline shares were being sold on Tuesday amid concern about the war in Ukraine, after the US suspended military aid to Ukraine.

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