Ryanair cuts winter flights and warns of higher fares in 2027

Ryanair, the Irish budget airline, has announced plans to reduce winter flights and raise air fares in 2027. The airline will cut the number of flights from November to March, aiming to target 214 million passengers instead of the previous 216 million. The reduction is expected to lower seasonal losses from 170 million euros to 100 million euros.

Ryanair claims it is well-positioned to record another profitable year, although profits will likely fall short of the 2.26 billion euros recorded in 2026. The airline attributes the need to increase fares to persistently high oil prices, which have remained higher than expected due to the ongoing conflict between the US and Israel and Iran.

If these high oil prices continue into the summer of 2027, Ryanair said it would be "sensible" to raise short-haul airfares across Europe. Other major airlines, including Lufthansa Group, British Airways, and KLM, have also announced plans to cut capacity or slow passenger numbers over the winter. Meanwhile, alternative forms of travel, such as night trains, are gaining popularity, with various companies expanding routes.

The European Commission is also exploring a potential train network, dubbed the "European Metro," to reduce reliance on short-haul flights.