Ryanair has issued statements affirming the safety of its fleet following an incident earlier this month in which a passenger nearly exited an aircraft through a window. The occurrence took place on a Boeing 737 operated by Malta Air, a Ryanair subsidiary, during a flight from Thessaloniki, Greece to Memmingen, Germany. The passenger was saved when his wife held his legs while two other passengers assisted in pulling him back into the cabin after engine failure caused parts to strike an acrylic window.
Neil Sorahan, Ryanair’s group chief financial officer, stated that the airline’s customer care team has maintained contact with the affected family and praised the crew’s response. He indicated it was premature to discuss potential compensation while an investigation proceeds. The US National Transportation Safety Board announced it would lead an independent investigation into the incident, with Ryanair confirming full participation and cooperation.
Sorahan emphasized that neither the Federal Aviation Administration nor the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has mandated operational changes to the airline’s fleet. He noted that Ryanair operates five airlines meeting European aviation standards and maintains a relatively modern fleet. Sorahan highlighted that Boeing 737 aircraft have accumulated hundreds of millions of flights globally and represent highly maintained, well-regulated systems with extensively trained crews.
In separate remarks, Sorahan criticized the European Union’s new digital entry-exit system, which has significantly extended processing times at major European airports. He stated the system has been poorly implemented and creates additional challenges for British travelers during the summer season. Ryanair previously identified 15 airports experiencing substantial delays due to passport control queues.
Financially, Ryanair reported that after-tax profits declined 34 percent to €538 million in the quarter ending in June, primarily attributable to doubled jet fuel prices related to Middle East developments. Despite passenger numbers rising 6 percent to 61.3 million, average fares dropped 6 percent. Operating costs increased 11 percent while revenues grew just 1 percent during the period.
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