Ryanair Weighs Pay Freezes Amid Fuel Costs
The budget airline is reviewing expenses as projected jet fuel costs rise sharply in its financial year ending March 2028.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Business Travel
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Ryanair is evaluating cost-reduction measures, including possible pay freezes and staffing reductions, as it confronts significantly higher fuel expenses. The airline reported a post-tax profit of €1.61bn for the quarter ending in September.
Why it matters
Ryanair projects its jet fuel costs will rise by approximately €2bn, which the airline largely attributes to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. For travelers, the cost pressures may shape fares, capacity and hiring across the carrier's network.
Ryanair's quarterly profit fell 6% year-on-year to a post-tax €1.61bn while passenger numbers rose 5% to 64.5 million and average fares dropped 2%. The airline projects jet fuel costs will rise about €2bn in the year ending March 2028, but how much of that increase it will offset through cost cuts has not been disclosed.
The players
Ryanair
Ryanair is a major low-cost European airline headquartered in Ireland, known for its high-density seating model and aggressive pricing strategy.
Unite
Unite is one of the United Kingdom's largest trade unions, representing workers across aviation, transport and other sectors.
The details
Ryanair is reviewing expenses across its operations, with emphasis on airport negotiations, labor agreements, reduced crew ratios and expanded artificial intelligence use, which has delivered a 4% capacity improvement. The carrier is also considering temporary pay freezes and is meaningfully slowing hiring for pilots, cabin crew and training programs.
Timeline
The airline reported its €1.61bn post-tax profit for the quarter ending in September.
Several Ryanair pay agreements begin renegotiation in March.
Boeing 737 Max 10 aircraft deliveries begin in January.
The fiscal year ending March 2028 is projected to see jet fuel costs rise by about €2bn.
Market Landscape
Ryanair's reliance on the Boeing 737 Max 10, which offers about 20% more seating and roughly 20% less fuel burn than existing fleet aircraft, places it in a race to lower per-seat costs. The fleet upgrade is the carrier's main structural answer to fuel-price shocks that its pay and staffing cuts alone cannot fully offset.
Travelers booking Ryanair flights should expect fare pressure as fuel costs climb, so booking earlier may help secure lower prices. Ryanair's slower hiring and possible pay freezes could also affect staffing levels on routes, which travelers may notice in schedule reliability.
The takeaway
Airline fare changes are often driven by fuel costs that sit outside the carrier's control, so flexible booking dates can help business travelers manage price swings. Tracking fuel-related announcements from carriers can give an early signal of likely fare movement.
What happens next
Several Ryanair pay agreements begin renegotiation in March, which will determine whether the proposed pay freezes take effect.
Further reading
For more on how fuel and cost shifts reach airline fares and corporate travel budgets, see Business Travel.
Source note: This article includes information reported by RocketNews.
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