{
  "id": 17765440,
  "title": "Ryanair resorts to AI cost-cutting to swallow higher jet fuel costs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/ryanair-resorts-to-ai-cost-cutting-to-swallow-higher-jet-fuel-costs",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-11-02T07:37:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/ryanair-resorts-to-ai-cost-cutting-to-swallow-higher-jet-fuel-costs/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ryanair, the budget airline, is employing artificial intelligence to cut costs as energy expenses soar. CEO Michael O’Leary expects energy costs to remain high for the next year due to the end of many fixed-price jet fuel contracts. O’Leary warned of higher airfares next year, but stated that the airline will need to reduce expenses to offset €2bn in increased costs. To address these rising expenses, Ryanair will review all costs across its group airlines, focusing on airport churn negotiations, labour agreements, crewing ratios, and the use of AI to boost productivity in operations and back-office functions. In the six months ending at the end of September, Ryanair reported a 16% drop in pre-tax profit to €2.4bn, despite a 4% revenue increase to €5.5bn. The airline saw a 6% rise in passengers to 125.8 million, while fares fell by 4%. Ryanair has hedged 80% of its jet fuel requirements at a fixed price of €67 per barrel, which has bolstered its cost advantage over European competitors. However, protection from higher fuel costs will be lower next year, with only 25% of energy needs hedged at around €95 per barrel. The firm withholds any profit targets for the full year, citing volatile oil prices and last-minute booking behaviors as reasons.",
  "summary": "Ryanair is set to use AI to improve productivity and freeze the pay of some of its staff in a bid to cut costs ahead of rising energy costs. Michael O’Leary, chief executive of the budget airline, said the energy costs facing European airlines will be “significantly higher next year,” because many of their fixed-price [...]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}