Once again, European low cost carrier Ryanair carried more international passengers than any other airline in calendar year 2014.

 

The airline says that its December 2014 passenger numbers grew by 20% to more than 6m customers, while its rolling annual passenger handling grew by 6% to 86.4m passengers, with it load factor up 7% to 88%.

 

Commenting, Ryanair’s Chief Marketing Officer, Kenny Jacobs said: “Ryanair’s traffic grew by 20% to over 6m customers in December, while our load factor rose by 7% points to 88%, thanks to our lower fares, our stronger forward booking strategy and the continuing success of our ‘Always Getting Better’ customer programme, which is delivering better than expected load factors in our significantly expanded winter schedule.

 

“With our new routes, increased frequencies, improving customer experience and Business Plus service, Ryanair continues to deliver so much more than the lowest fares in every market we operate in.”

 

 RYANAIR REMAINS THE CLEAR LEADER

Ryanair was crowned as the world’s leading international carrier in 2013 last year (81.3m pax) and in 2012 by the International Air Transport Association and IATA is expected to confirm this position again when it reports these numbers in the middle of this year.

 

Ryanair’s margin of leadership is expected to be repeated when the results are formally in, although some airlines are expected to show big improvements – especially easyJet.

 

In 2013 Ryanair’s 81.3m international passengers numbered almost 29m more than second-placed easyJet (52.7m) and 30m more than third-placed Lufthansa (50.7m). In 2013 Ryanair also carried more international passengers than easyJet, Iberia and SAS combined (76m); British Airways, Air France and Alitalia combined (77m); Lufthansa and Air Berlin combined (74m); and over eight times more passengers than Irish regional carrier Aer Lingus (9.6m) which it once tried to buy.