Ryanair 950 Flights Cancelled in March: Israel-Hamas War to Blame

Airlines

The average plane capacity was 93%, which remained the same as the previous month.

The war, which started on October 7, 2023, resulted in 5,430 flight cancellations to date. Ryanair cancelled flight compensation can be sought by passengers who have been impacted.

Ryanair’s loss from the war will last until June 3. Recent reports from the carrier stated that Ben Gurion International Airport will reopen Terminal 1, from which Ryanair operates. Forty flights each week are planned from locations in:

• Italy
• Greece
• Germany
• Malta

Gaza’s conflict led to 950 flights being cancelled per month, with reports from January mirroring those in April 2024.

Wizz and Easyjet, two of Ryanair’s main competitors, also experienced significant flight cancellations due to the Israel-Hamas war. Middle East conflicts hit airline carriers at a time when fare prices were rising.

Easyjet reports losses of over $50 million between October 2023 and January 2024. The loss is substantial for the carrier, which, despite increasing flights elsewhere, still reports losses for 2023.

The carrier reports strong bookings for the Summer 2024 season, with expectations of revenue increases.

Wizz, a Europe-focused carrier, also reports losses since October due to the war. Passenger numbers for Wizz rose 12% in March as the company’s operations from six bases restarted flights to Tel-Aviv.

The company plans to expand routes in April, May and June to return back to full capacity.

Israel’s economy, which relies heavily on tourism, experienced a 20% decline in economic activity. Brands still operating in the country, such as Starbucks and Zara, are facing consumer backlash, with boycotts leading to losses in the region.

Fighting in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen is disrupting travel and flights for many other carriers, too.