RYANAIR

Overview

Ryanair Holdings plc operates a low-fare, low-cost scheduled airline group focused on short-haul, point-to-point passenger travel across Europe and North Africa.[1] Its stated objective is to be Europe’s largest scheduled passenger airline group in a disciplined and sustainable manner through continued expansion of its low-fares service, with a strong emphasis on cost containment and operating efficiency.[2] Founded in 1985, the company positions itself around affordable air travel on a large pan-European network.[3]

In addition to scheduled flights, Ryanair generates revenue from ancillary travel services tied to its core air passenger business, including priority boarding, reserved seating, baggage-related fees, car hire, travel insurance, airport transfers and accommodation services.[4]+2 At the end of FY2024, the group operated over 3,600 daily flights from 95 bases connecting 235 airports in 37 countries, reported revenue of €13.44 billion, carried 183.7 million passengers, and employed 27,076 aviation professionals.[7]+2 [1]+8

Products & services

Ryanair’s passenger offering is structured around fare bundles rather than a single all-inclusive ticket. The Basic fare includes one small personal bag only, with a maximum size of 40 x 30 x 20 cm and random seat assignment at check-in.[10][11] The Regular fare adds a standard seat, priority boarding and two cabin bags: the same small under-seat bag plus a 10kg cabin bag up to 55 x 40 x 20 cm for the overhead locker.[10][11] The Plus fare includes a standard seat, one small cabin bag and one 20kg check-in bag, while Flexi Plus includes priority boarding, two cabin bags, reserved seating, Fast Track security where available, and same-day flight or route changes without a change fee, subject to any fare difference.[10][12] Ryanair also offers reserved-seat products and a family seating policy under which children aged 2 to 11 receive free reserved seating beside a parent, with adults able to select up to four children’s seats next to them free of charge.[13][14]

Beyond the base airfare, Ryanair sells a large set of ancillary products through its website and mobile app, including checked bags, priority boarding, preferred seating, airport fast track, travel insurance, parking, airport transfers, accommodation services and car hire; its annual report also lists room reservations, excess baggage charges and other fees within ancillary revenue, alongside in-flight sales and internet-related services.[15][16] In-flight products include beverages, food, duty-free items and merchandise sold onboard.[17] Ancillary revenue was €4.719 billion in FY25 and represented 34% of total operating revenue, up from €4.299 billion and 32% in FY24, indicating that optional add-ons are a material part of Ryanair’s commercial offering.[18]+2

The onboard service is delivered mainly with Boeing 737 aircraft configured for high-density short-haul operations. Ryanair’s Boeing 737-8200 “Gamechanger” aircraft has 197 seats, versus 189 seats on its Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft, and the company says the 737-8200 provides 4% more passenger capacity, 16% less fuel burn and 40% lower noise emissions.[21] [15]+11

Geographic presence

Ryanair is domiciled in Ireland and has its registered office and principal place of business at Dublin Office, Airside Business Park, Swords, County Dublin, K67 NY94, Ireland. Geographically, its network is centered on Europe: the group operates from 93 bases and serves roughly 230 airports across 37 countries, with coverage largely in Europe and additional exposure to the Middle East and North Africa. The company also states that its revenues are primarily derived from European routes.[22]+3

By primary geographical market, FY2025 revenue was concentrated in a handful of large European countries: Italy generated €2,969.4 million (about 21% of total revenue), Spain €2,476.5 million (about 18%), the United Kingdom €2,044.6 million (about 15%), and Ireland €757.4 million (about 5%), while all other countries combined contributed €5,700.6 million (about 41%) out of €13,948.5 million total revenue. Ryanair notes that this disclosure includes countries exceeding 10% of total revenue, with Ireland shown separately as the country of domicile and “Other” covering the remaining countries where the group operates.[26][27]

Employee distribution is also international but weighted toward southern and western Europe. As of March 31, 2025, Ryanair reported 25,952 employees, including 8,445 in Spain, 3,954 in the United Kingdom, 3,245 in Italy, 2,941 in Ireland, and 7,367 across other countries, making Spain its largest disclosed employee location.[28] [22]+6

Business segments

Ryanair’s primary official segment disclosure is by airline rather than by geography or multiple lines of business. In FY2025, the Group says the chief operating decision maker is the Group CEO, and the reportable operating segments are “Ryanair DAC” and “Other Airlines.” “Other Airlines” aggregates Buzz, Malta Air and Lauda Europe because they do not individually meet the quantitative thresholds and have sufficiently similar economic characteristics, services, activities and operations; Ryanair DAC comprises the rest of the Group’s operations. The CODM assesses performance using profit after tax by airline, and the Group also states that all operating profits arise from low-fares airline-related activities, so it does not present geographic segments.[29]+3

Using FY2025 segment revenue before eliminations, Ryanair DAC contributed about 90% of segment revenue (€14.6bn of €16.2bn), while Other Airlines contributed about 10% (€1.6bn of €16.2bn); inter-segment eliminations were €2.23bn, resulting in consolidated segment revenue of €13.95bn.[33] Ryanair also discloses a revenue split that is useful as a secondary segmentation of the business: scheduled revenue of €9.23bn, or about 66% of total revenue, and ancillary revenue of €4.72bn, or about 34%.[33] Scheduled revenue relates to the sale of flight seats and associated direct flight fees, while ancillary revenue covers non-flight and add-on services such as priority boarding, allocated seats, baggage, car hire, travel insurance, airport transfers, room reservations and other fees.[34][16] [29]+6

Company history

Ryanair was founded in 1984 by Tony Ryan, Christopher Ryan and Liam Lonergan, and the airline began operating under the Ryanair name in 1985.[35] In the early 1990s it shifted to a Southwest-style low-fares model, expanded its network in 1992-1994, standardized its fleet in 1994, and Michael O’Leary was appointed CEO in 1994.[36][37]

The company was reorganized in the mid-1990s when Ryanair Holdings acquired Ryanair DAC in August 1996, re-registered as a public limited company in May 1997, and completed its initial public offering in June 1997.[38][39] It later used acquisitions to broaden its platform, including the purchase of Buzz Stansted Limited in April 2003 and the staged acquisition of Laudamotion during 2018; in June 2019 it also acquired Malta Air.[40]+2 [36]+7

Sources

• RYANAIR — Full financial report (2024 Y)
  11 citations

  [1][2][4][5][6][8][9][20][22][38][39]
• corporate.ryanair.com[3]
• RYANAIR — Press release (2024 Y)[7]
• help.ryanair.com[10]
• help.ryanair.com[11]
• help.ryanair.com[12]
• help.ryanair.com[13]
• help.ryanair.com[14]
• RYANAIR — Full financial report (2025 Y)
  16 citations

  [15][16][17][18][19][23][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34]
• corporate.ryanair.com[21]
• RYANAIR — Press release (2025 Y)[24]
• www.key.aero[35]
• RYANAIR — Full financial report (2012 Y)[36]
• RYANAIR — Full financial report (2018 Y)[37][40]
• RYANAIR — Full financial report (2019 Y)[41][42]