---
title: "Fuel costs expected to rise by €2bn for Ryanair"
url: https://noti.group/fuel-costs-expected-to-rise-by-2bn-for-ryanair/
language: en
publisher: "Noti Group"
section: "Business"
published: 2026-11-02T12:57:53.000Z
updated: 2026-11-02T17:38:16.237Z
id: 2c3056ae-15aa-49cd-beca-694fc751d554
source: "The Guardian Business https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/nov/02/ryanair-considers-pay-freezes-reducing-crew-on-flights-fuel-costs-soar-ai"
attribution: "Link to https://noti.group/fuel-costs-expected-to-rise-by-2bn-for-ryanair/ and name Noti Group when you quote or summarize this story."
---

# Fuel costs expected to rise by €2bn for Ryanair

Ryanair is considering pay freezes and cost-cutting measures to offset rising fuel prices.

Ryanair's plans to tackle soaring fuel costs are set to put it at odds with unions as the airline weighs up various cost-cutting measures.

The airline is considering implementing pay freezes for its staff in an effort to offset rising jet fuel prices, which are being driven by the ongoing Middle East conflict. This move could lead to a confrontation with unions, who may resist such changes. The airline's decision to freeze salaries would be one of several cost-cutting measures it is exploring.

To mitigate the impact of higher fuel costs, Ryanair is also looking at reducing crew numbers on flights and increasing its use of artificial intelligence (AI). This could help the airline save money by streamlining operations. However, the exact details of these plans are still under discussion.

Ryanair expects European airlines to raise ticket prices by up to 20% in response to rising fuel costs, with its own jet fuel costs forecast to rise by about €2bn in its next financial year, which ends in March 2028.

Oil prices surged to a six-month high last week before stabilizing at around $106 per barrel.

As fuel costs continue to rise, Ryanair is anticipating significant increases in short-haul fares across Europe next year. The airline's fuel hedging deals, which were implemented to mitigate costs, are set to expire soon. This will leave airlines vulnerable to the full impact of rising oil prices.

The company is reviewing all its costs, including airport charges and labour agreements, as part of a broader effort to address the financial strain caused by soaring fuel costs. Ryanair has several pay deals that will need to be renegotiated in the coming months, with some potentially requiring temporary pay freezes.

Unions are already pushing back against the airline's plans, with Unite claiming it has a multi-year pay deal in place that covers 2027 and is not tied to company performance. The union says it was not informed of any proposals for pay freezes or other cost-cutting measures.

Ryanair is implementing measures to reduce its workforce, slowing down hiring for new pilots and cabin crew as well as across its training courses.

The airline plans to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance productivity in various areas of its operations, including back-office and support functions.

According to the company's CEO, AI has already contributed significantly to increasing capacity by 4%, with machines capable of designing schedules more efficiently than human employees.

Ryanair's fuel hedging strategy is also being reassessed due to rising costs, with only a small portion of its requirements for the next year still under protection at $95 per barrel.

Ryanair's ability to predict future bookings is being hampered by a shorter booking window, making it harder for the company to anticipate demand.

The airline's quarterly financial results show that despite a 6% year-on-year decline in post-tax profit to €1.61bn, passenger numbers are still growing, with 64.5 million travelers carried during the quarter, a 5% increase from the same period last year.

Ryanair's aircraft delivery schedule is also changing, with the airline set to receive fewer new planes over the next few years, dropping from around 30 per annum to about 15 annually.

---
Source: [The Guardian Business](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/nov/02/ryanair-considers-pay-freezes-reducing-crew-on-flights-fuel-costs-soar-ai)  
Published by Noti Group: https://noti.group/fuel-costs-expected-to-rise-by-2bn-for-ryanair/