Ryanair claims record month as passenger numbers rise

Ryanair claimed a new monthly record in July with passenger carryings up to 20.7 million.

Numbers grew by three per cent over the same month at the start of the summer holiday peak last year.

However, Europe’s largest airline cancelled 680 flights last month, which it blamed mainly on French air traffic control strikes.

Ryanair operated more than 113,000 flights in July with a load factor pegged at 96%, the same level as the same month last year.

The performance saw the carrier’s rolling 12 month passenger total rise by seven per cent from 190.4 million to 203.1 million with a loaf factor of 94%.

Ryanair’s July passenger carryings compare with budget rival Wizz Air seeing a 6.8% increase to 6.35 million.