{
  "id": 17779201,
  "title": "Ryanair eyes cost cuts as it faces a €2 billion rise in its fuel bill next year",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/ryanair-eyes-cost-cuts-as-it-faces-a-2-billion-rise-in-its-fuel-bill",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-11-02T10:10:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews Business",
    "slug": "euronews-business",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/2026/11/02/ryanair-eyes-cost-cuts-as-it-faces-a-2-billion-rise-in-its-fuel-bill-next-year"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ryanair anticipates a €2 billion increase in fuel expenses for the upcoming financial year, as reported in its first-half earnings. The airline's profit for April to September 2026 was €2.15 billion, a 15% decrease from the same period last year. Despite a 6% rise in passenger numbers and a 3% surge in revenue to €10.08 billion, fares fell by 4%. The Middle East conflict has deterred consumers from booking in advance, leading to a later booking trend. While Ryanair has hedged 80% of its fuel needs, the remaining 20% saw a doubling in price, threatening to raise its fuel bill by €2 billion. CEO Michael O'Leary predicts elevated fuel prices could persist into 2027 unless the Middle East conflict is resolved. To cope with these costs, Ryanair is considering cost-cutting measures like temporary pay freezes, reduced crew-to-passenger ratios, and increased use of AI. Additionally, the airline has launched an €800 million share buyback program, set to run until February 2028. However, the company has not yet provided a full-year profit forecast due to uncertainties surrounding conflicts, fuel prices, the broader economy, and European air traffic control disruptions.",
  "summary": "One of Europe's biggest airlines saw its first-half profit fall 15% as higher fuel costs and lower fares outweighed passenger growth.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/17779201.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CNBC",
        "title": "Ryanair CEO warns fares could rise by up to 20% in 2027 as fuel bill jumps by $2.2 billion",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/ryanair-ceo-warns-fares-could-rise-by-up-to-20-in-2027-as-fuel-bill",
        "published": "2026-11-02T08:42:42.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "This Is Money",
        "title": "Airline ticket prices will go up next year says Ryanair as it reveals its fuel bill will rise by £1.6bn",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/airline-ticket-prices-will-go-up-next-year-says-ryanair-as-it-reveals",
        "published": "2026-11-02T09:45:35.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}