History of Ryanair in Timeline
Ryanair is an Irish ultra-low-cost airline group, with its parent company, Ryanair Holdings plc, headquartered in Swords, Dublin, Ireland. Founded in 1984, Ryanair DAC is the oldest airline in the group. Ryanair Holdings was established in 1996 to serve as a holding company for Ryanair, with both entities sharing the same board and executive officers. In 2019, Ryanair began transitioning from a single airline with subsidiaries to a group of sister airlines under the holding company, with Malta Air joining Ryanair Holdings that same year.
1984: Ryanair DAC founded
In 1984, Ryanair DAC, the oldest airline of the group, was founded. The airline is headquartered in Swords, Dublin, Ireland.
1984: Ryanair Founded as "Danren Enterprises"
In 1984, Ryanair was founded as "Danren Enterprises" by Christopher Ryan, Liam Lonergan, and Tony Ryan.
1985: Ryanair Begins Operations
In 1985, Ryanair began operations, flying between Waterford and Gatwick Airport using a 15-seat Embraer Bandeirante aircraft.
1986: Ryanair added second route
In 1986, Ryanair added a second route from Dublin to Luton, directly competing with Aer Lingus/British Airways.
1986: Ryanair took stake in London European Airways
In 1986, the directors of Ryanair took an 85% stake in London European Airways.
September 1987: Eugene O'Neill sacked
In September 1987, Ryan sacked O'Neill, who sued for wrongful dismissal.
1987: London European Airways provided connection with Luton Ryanair service
From 1987, London European Airways provided a connection with the Luton Ryanair service onward to Amsterdam and Brussels.
1988: London European operated as Ryanair Europe
In 1988, London European operated as Ryanair Europe and later began to operate charter services. Also in 1988, Michael O'Leary joined the company as chief financial officer.
1989: Short Sandringham was operated with Ryanair sponsorship titles
In 1989, a Short Sandringham was operated with Ryanair sponsorship titles but never flew revenue-generating services for the airline.
1990: Ryanair restructured, copying the low-fares model
In 1990, due to decreasing profits, Ryanair restructured, copying the low-fares model of Southwest Airlines, after O'Leary visited the company.
1992: Darley Investments built head office facility
In 1992, Darley Investments built the facility that would later become Ryanair's head office.
1992: EU deregulation provided opportunity for Ryanair
In 1992, the European Union's deregulation of the air industry in Europe gave carriers from one EU country the right to operate scheduled services between other EU states and represented a major opportunity for Ryanair.
1994: Michael O'Leary became CEO
In 1994, Michael O'Leary became the sixth chief executive officer of Ryanair.
1994: O'Leary described the Ryanair strategy
In a 1994 lecture, O'Leary described the Ryanair strategy as adopting a simple all-Boeing 737 fleet, pursuing expansion over yield, creating a culture of cost-cutting, and "re-educating" the customer to prefer lower prices to "frills".
1996: Ryanair Holdings established
In 1996, Ryanair Holdings was established as a holding company for Ryanair, sharing the same board of directors and executive officers.
1997: Ryanair goes public
In 1997, the airline went public, and the money raised was used to expand the airline into a pan-European carrier.
1997: Deregulation of the aviation industry in Europe
In 1997, the deregulation of the aviation industry in Europe contributed to Ryanair's rapid expansion and the success of its low-cost business model.
1998: Ryanair placed massive order for Boeing 737-800 series aircraft
In 1998, flush with new capital, Ryanair placed a massive US$2 billion order for 45 new Boeing 737-800 series aircraft.
2000: Ryanair Launched Its Website
In 2000, the airline launched its website, with online booking initially said to be a small and unimportant part of the software supporting the site.
2001: Ryanair launched new base of operation in Charleroi Airport
Ryanair launched a new base of operation in Charleroi Airport in 2001. Later that year, the airline ordered 155 new 737-800 aircraft from Boeing at what was believed to be a substantial discount.
2002: Aer Lingus adopts low-fares strategy
From 2002, Aer Lingus moved to a low-fares strategy, leading to much more intense competition with Ryanair on Irish routes.
2002: Criticism for treatment of disabled passengers
In 2002, Ryanair faced heavy criticism for its poor treatment of disabled passengers, including refusing to provide wheelchairs at London Stansted Airport.
2002: Delivery of new Boeing 737-800 aircraft commenced
In 2002, Ryanair started receiving delivery of 155 new 737-800 aircraft from Boeing.
2002: Ryanair ordered to pay damages for reneging on prize
In 2002, the High Court of Ireland in Dublin awarded Jane O'Keefe €67,500 damages and her costs after Ryanair reneged on a free travel prize she was awarded for being the airline's 1 millionth passenger.
April 2003: Ryanair acquired Buzz from KLM
In April 2003, Ryanair acquired its ailing competitor Buzz from KLM.
2003: Revenues at €640 million
In 2003, Ryanair's revenues rose to €640 million.
2003: Ryanair competes with MyTravelLite
In 2003, when MyTravelLite started to compete with Ryanair on the Birmingham to Dublin route, Ryanair set up competing flights on some of MyTravelLite's routes until it pulled out.
May 2004: Enlargement of the European Union
The enlargement of the European Union on May 1, 2004, opened the way to more new routes for Ryanair.
September 2004: EasyJet announces routes to Ireland
In September 2004, EasyJet announced routes to Ireland for the first time, starting with the Cork to London Gatwick route. Until then, EasyJet had never competed directly with Ryanair on its home ground. EasyJet later withdrew its Gatwick-Cork, Gatwick-Shannon, Gatwick-Knock and Luton-Shannon routes.
2004: Court ruling on wheelchair provision for disabled passengers
A court ruling in 2004 judged that the responsibility for providing wheelchairs for disabled passengers should be shared by the airline and the airport owners; Ryanair responded by adding a surcharge to all its flight prices.
2004: Head office located on Dublin Airport property
Since 2004, the head office had been on the property of Dublin Airport, in proximity to the Aer Lingus head office.
August 2005: Ryanair claimed to have carried 20% more passengers within Europe than British Airways
In August 2005, Ryanair claimed to have carried 20% more passengers within Europe than British Airways.
2005: Approximately 100 Boeing 737-800 aircraft had been delivered
By the end of 2005, approximately 100 of these aircraft had been delivered, although there were slight delays in late 2005 caused by production disruptions arising from a Boeing machinists' strike.
2005: Last OFT referral before Ryanair probe
In April 2008, the ASA director general mentioned that the last formal referral to the OFT occurred in 2005, highlighting the rarity of such actions before the probe into Ryanair's advertising practices.
February 2006: Ryanair caught napping
On 13 February 2006, Britain's Channel 4 broadcast a documentary as part of its Dispatches series, "Ryanair caught napping". The documentary criticised Ryanair's training policies, security procedures and aircraft hygiene, and highlighted poor staff morale.
April 2006: Ryanair withdraws Dublin-Cardiff route
In April 2006, a failure to reach an agreement on a new commercial contract resulted in Ryanair announcing that it would withdraw service on the Dublin–Cardiff route at short notice. The airport management rebutted Ryanair's assertion that airport charges were unreasonably high, claiming that the Cardiff charges were already below Ryanair's average.
September 2006: Passenger Traffic Grows
For the six months ending on 30 September 2006, passenger traffic grew by more than a fifth to 22.1 million passengers and revenues rose by a third to €1.256 billion.
October 2006: DFDS Seaways cites Ryanair as reason for scrapping ferry service
In October 2006, DFDS Seaways cited competition from low-cost air services, especially Ryanair, as the reason for scrapping the Newcastle–Gothenburg ferry service. It was the only dedicated passenger ferry service between Sweden and the United Kingdom and had been running under various operators since the 19th century.
October 2006: Ryanair launched bid to buy Aer Lingus
On 5 October 2006, Ryanair launched a €1.48 billion bid to buy fellow Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus. On 5 October 2006, Aer Lingus rejected Ryanair's takeover bid, saying it undervalued the airline.
2006: Criticism for limited customer contact options
In 2006, Ryanair was criticized for offering limited customer contact options, relying on premium rate phone lines, fax, or post.
April 2007: Plans to launch a new long-haul airline
In April 2007, Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary announced plans to launch a new long-haul airline around 2009. The new airline would be separate from Ryanair and operate under different branding.
August 2007: Passengers charged to check in at the airport
In August 2007, the company started charging passengers to check in at the airport, therefore reversing its policy of paying for online check-in. It says that cutting airport check-in reduces overhead costs.
2007: Advertisement for Belfast route featuring Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams
In 2007, Ryanair's advertisement for its new Belfast route, which featured Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams, sparked controversy. The advertisement humorously suggested that Ryanair's low fares were so appealing that "even the British Army flew home". This led to an angry reaction from Ulster Unionists. Despite the controversy, the Advertising Standards Authority stated in 2007 that they did not believe the advertisement would cause widespread offence.
April 2008: UK Office of Fair Trading probe over adverts
In April 2008, Ryanair was under investigation by the UK Office of Fair Trading due to multiple complaints about its advertisements. It was discovered that the airline had breached advertising rules seven times in two years. The ASA's director general commented that formal referrals to the OFT were rare and added that the ASA "would prefer to work with advertisers within the self-regulatory system rather than call in a statutory body, but Ryanair's approach has left us with no option". Ryanair responded, claiming the ASA had "demonstrated a repeated lack of independence, impartiality and fairness".
December 2008: Ryanair launched a second takeover bid of Aer Lingus
On 1 December 2008, Ryanair launched a second takeover bid of Aer Lingus, offering an all-cash offer of €748 million.
2008: Ryanair challenges refusal to fly from Ireland West Airport to Dublin
In 2008, Ryanair asked the Irish High Court to investigate why it had been refused permission to fly from Ireland West Airport to Dublin. This route was won by CityJet, which could not operate the service. The runner-up, Aer Arann, was then allowed to start flights, a move Ryanair criticised as the basis of not initiating an additional tender process was unlawful.
2008: Rent increased to €244,000/year
In 2008, rent increased to €244,000/year for the remainder of the lease.
January 2009: Ryanair walked away from the Aer Lingus takeover bid
On 22 January 2009, Ryanair walked away from the Aer Lingus takeover bid after it was rejected by the Irish government.
February 2009: Ryanair confirmed plans to close all check-in desks
On 21 February 2009, Ryanair confirmed it was planning to close all check-in desks by the start of 2010, with passengers using a bag drop and online services.
February 2009: O'Leary suggests charging passengers to use the toilet
On 27 February 2009, Michael O'Leary commented during a BBC News interview that Ryanair was considering charging passengers £1 to use the toilet on its flights.
June 2009: Ryanair reported its first annual loss
In June 2009, Ryanair reported its first annual loss, posting a loss of €169 million for the financial year ending 31 March.
July 2009: Agreement with OFT to increase advertising clarity
In July 2009, Ryanair took several steps to "increase the clarity and transparency of its website and other advertising" after reaching an agreement with the OFT. Ryanair's website now included a statement that "fares don't include optional fees/charges," and the website added a table of fees to make fare comparisons easier.
September 2009: Ryanair fleet reaches 200 aircraft
On 5 September 2009, Ryanair's fleet reached 200 aircraft for the first time.
October 2009: Closing of check-in desks becomes reality
Closing of check-in desks becomes reality in October 2009.
November 2009: Negotiations with Boeing proceeded poorly
In November 2009, Ryanair announced that negotiations with Boeing had proceeded poorly and that Ryanair was thinking of stopping the negotiations.
December 2009: Ryanair Confirmed that Negotiations with Boeing Had Failed
In December 2009, Ryanair confirmed that negotiations with Boeing had indeed failed.
2009: Ryanair abolished airport check-in
In 2009, Ryanair abolished airport check-in and replaced it with a fast bag drop for passengers checking in bags.
2009: Ryanair reported to adopt "harsh" negotiating with Shannon Airport
In 2009, Ryanair was reported to have adopted "harsh" negotiating with Shannon Airport, threatening to close 75% of its operations there from April 2010.
2009: Ancillary revenue accounted for 20% of Ryanair's revenue
In 2009, ancillary revenue accounted for twenty per cent of Ryanair's total revenue; that is, income from sources other than ticket fares.
2009: Planned year for launch of new long-haul airline
In April 2007, Michael O'Leary, stated Ryanair planned to launch a new long-haul airline around 2009.
February 2010: Long-haul airline launch delayed
In February 2010, Michael O'Leary said the launch of the new long-haul airline would be delayed until 2014, at the earliest, because of the shortage of suitable, cheap aircraft.
April 2010: Ryanair ends refusals to comply with EU regulations
In April 2010, Ryanair ended its refusal to comply with EU regulations mandating reimbursement for stranded passengers following flight disruptions caused by the Eyjafjallajökull eruptions. Also in April 2010, Ryanair cancelled all routes from Budapest Liszt Ferenc Airport due to failed fee reduction talks.
April 2010: Ryanair threatens to close 75% of operations at Shannon Airport
In April 2010, Ryanair was reported to have adopted "harsh" negotiating with Shannon Airport, threatening to close 75% of its operations there.
June 2010: Ryanair calls for Irish government to scrap tourist tax
In June 2010, Ryanair urged the Irish government to eliminate its tourist tax, arguing it was detrimental to Ireland's tourism sector.
July 2010: Controversy over alleged misleading advertising
In July 2010, Ryanair faced controversy regarding allegedly misleading advertising after circulating newspaper advertisements offering £10 one-way fares to European destinations. Following a complaint from rival carrier EasyJet, the ASA ruled the offer was "likely to mislead". Ryanair did not comment on the claim but did hit back at EasyJet, claiming it cared about details in this regard but did not itself publicise its on-time statistics. EasyJet denied this.
August 2010: Ryanair announces first Bulgarian destination
In August 2010, Ryanair announced its first Bulgarian destination, connecting Plovdiv with London Stansted. The service was planned to start in November 2010 with two flights weekly.
October 2010: UK competition regulators opened an inquiry into Ryanair's stake in Aer Lingus
In October 2010, competition regulators in the UK opened an inquiry, due to concerns that Ryanair's stake may lead to a reduction in competition.
November 2010: Ryanair to start Plovdiv-London Stansted service
In November 2010, Ryanair planned to commence its service connecting Plovdiv with London Stansted, with two flights weekly. Also in late 2010, Ryanair began withdrawing all routes from its smallest base, Belfast City, and Shannon due to increased airport fees.
2010: Revenues increased to €4.66 billion
In 2010, Ryanair's revenues increased to €4.66 billion.
2010: Delivery of new Boeing 737-800 aircraft completed
In 2010, the delivery of 155 new 737-800 aircraft from Boeing was completed.
2010: Ryanair reports loss in last three months of 2010
In the last three months of 2010, Ryanair reported a loss of €10.3 million, attributed to strikes and flight cancellations caused by severe weather.
2010: Plans to close all check-in desks
Ryanair confirmed in February 2009, it was planning to close all check-in desks by the start of 2010.
February 2011: Court ruled against Ryanair surcharge for boarding pass
In February 2011, a court in Barcelona ruled against Ryanair's surcharge for passengers who failed to print their boarding pass, stating it was an abusive practice.
March 2011: Ryanair opens new maintenance hangar at Glasgow Prestwick
In March 2011, Ryanair inaugurated a new maintenance hangar at Glasgow Prestwick International Airport, establishing it as Ryanair's largest fleet maintenance base.
April 2011: Advert banned for misleading information about destinations
In April 2011, Ryanair advertised destinations as "places in the sun". The advert was banned when it was found that some of the destinations experienced sunshine for as little as three hours per day and temperatures between 0 and 14 °C (32 and 57 °F).
April 2011: Ryanair added surcharge for EC Regulation compliance
On 4 April 2011, Ryanair began adding a surcharge of €2 to its flights to cover the costs arising from compliance with EC Regulation 261/2004.
June 2011: Ryanair and COMAC sign agreement to cooperate on C-919 development
In June 2011, Ryanair and COMAC entered into an agreement to collaborate on the development of the C-919, a competitor to the Boeing 737.
November 2011: Ryanair cuts capacity
In November 2011, Ryanair began to cut capacity by grounding 80 aircraft between November 2011 and April 2012 due to the high cost of fuel and continuing weak economic conditions.
November 2011: Appeals Court overturned ruling against Ryanair
In November 2011, the Appeals Court in Spain overturned the earlier ruling and held that Ryanair's surcharge for failing to print boarding passes complies with international law.
December 2011: Ryanair to fight against plan to ban 'rip-off' credit card charges
In December 2011, Ryanair announced that it would fight against the UK Treasury's plan to ban what Which? magazine called "rip-off" charges made when customers paid by credit card.
2011: Airline efficiency rating
An airline efficiency rating from 2011 was used by Ryanair in advertisements in 2020.
2011: Design agreement with Comac signed
In 2011, Ryanair signed a design agreement with Comac to help produce a rival jet to Boeing's offerings.
2011: Ryanair captain awarded compensation for union activity
In 2011, a former Ryanair captain was awarded financial compensation by an employment tribunal in London after being fired for handing out a union form to a cabin crew member while on duty.
2011: Ryanair cited data from 2011 in 2020 advert
In February 2020, in response to the ASA banning adverts that claimed Ryanair was the lowest emissions airline in Europe for being misleading, Ryanair cited data from Eurocontrol and airline efficiency rankings from Brighter Plant, including an efficiency ranking from 2011.
2011: Directive 2011/83/EU on Consumer Rights
Ryanair offers a basic rate telephone number for post-booking enquiries in the United Kingdom, which chose to omit the exemption for passenger transport services when enacting Article 21 of Directive 2011/83/EU on Consumer Rights.
April 2012: Ryanair cuts capacity by grounding aircraft
In April 2012, Ryanair finished cutting capacity by grounding 80 aircraft between November 2011 and April 2012 due to the high cost of fuel and continuing weak economic conditions.
June 2012: Ryanair faced criticism over ambiguous changes.
As of June 2012, Ryanair faced criticism over the ambiguous nature of changes related to online check-in and baggage fees.
June 2012: Ryanair announces intention to make an all-cash offer for Aer Lingus
On 19 June 2012, Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary announced his intention to make an all-cash offer for Aer Lingus.
July 2012: Ryanair staff asked passenger to lift her shirt
In July 2012, a 69-year-old woman was asked by Ryanair boarding staff to lift her shirt in front of fellow passengers, to prove that she had a colostomy bag.
July 2012: Ryanair aircraft divert to Valencia due to thunderstorms
On 26 July 2012, three Ryanair aircraft inbound to Madrid–Barajas Airport diverted to Valencia Airport due to severe thunderstorms in the Madrid area. All three aircraft declared an emergency (Mayday) when the calculated usable fuel on landing at Valencia Airport was less than the final reserve (30 minutes of flight) after having been held in the air for 50 to 69 minutes. The Irish Aviation Authority investigated the incidents and came to several conclusions.
2012: KRO Reporter broadcasts Mayday, Mayday episode
In 2012, Dutch investigative journalism programme KRO Reporter broadcast the Mayday, Mayday episode.
2012: Ryanair purchased the Airside Business Park facility
In 2012, Ryanair purchased the facility in Airside Business Park that would become its head office.
2012: Ryanair responds to Wizz Air's move to Warsaw Modlin Airport
In 2012, Ryanair responded to Wizz Air's decision to move its flight operations from Warsaw Chopin Airport to the new low-cost Warsaw Modlin Airport. Ryanair began several new routes from Modlin Airport, most of which were identical to routes offered by Wizz Air.
2012: Ryanair Pilot Group formed
In 2012, the Ryanair Pilot Group (RPG) was formed but has not been successful in its aim to represent the pilots flying for Ryanair as a collective bargaining unit.
2012: Last deliveries occurring for Ryanair
Ryanair confirmed in December 2009 that plans were to take all 112 aircraft already on order at that point, with the last deliveries occurring in 2012, for a total fleet of over 300.
March 2013: Order for 175 new Boeing 737-800s signed
On 13 March 2013, Ryanair signed an order for 175 new Boeing 737-800s. Ryanair was still evaluating the possibility of the Boeing 737 MAX.
October 2013: Ryanair cheapest low-cost airline in Europe
According to research in October 2013, Ryanair was found to be the cheapest low-cost airline in Europe when considering only the basic price, excluding additional fees.
October 2013: Ryanair announces customer service improvements
On 25 October 2013, Ryanair announced a series of "customer service improvements", including lower fees for reprinting boarding passes, free changes of minor booking errors within 24 hours, and a free second small carry-on bag.
2013: KRO Reporter broadcasts Mayday, Mayday episode
In 2013, Dutch investigative journalism programme KRO Reporter broadcast the Mayday, Mayday episode.
2013: Regulation 41 of the Consumer Contracts Regulations
Ryanair offers a basic rate telephone number for post-booking enquiries in the United Kingdom, which chose to omit the exemption for passenger transport services when enacting Article 21 of Directive 2011/83/EU on Consumer Rights under Regulation 41 of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Payments) Regulations 2013.
January 2014: Ryanair moves to new Dublin head office
In January 2014, Ryanair relocated its headquarters to a new €20m, 100,000 sq ft office in Airside Business Park in Dublin.
April 2014: Dutch Court rules KRO had sufficient evidence in claims against Ryanair
On 16 April 2014, the Dutch Court decided that KRO had provided sufficient evidence in two television episodes of Mayday, Mayday broadcast in 2012 and 2013 to back the claims in respect of Ryanair's fuel policy and "fear culture". Ryanair was ordered to pay the legal costs of the case.
April 2014: Order of five more aircraft confirmed
On 30 April 2014, Ryanair confirmed that it had ordered five more aircraft to add to its fleet.
April 2014: Official opening of Ryanair's new Dublin head office
On Thursday 3 April 2014, Ryanair's new Dublin head office was officially opened by the then Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan, and the Lord Mayor of Dublin Oisin Quinn.
May 2014: Ryanair's Marseille office raided by French police
In May 2014, French police raided Ryanair's office in Marseille due to complaints about the company's compliance with French employment law, prompting a protest from Ryanair.
June 2014: Ryanair announced new family-friendly campaign
On 17 June 2014, Ryanair announced a new campaign to reinvent itself as a more family-friendly airline.
August 2014: Plans to establish major hub in Israel
In August 2014, the airline unveiled ambitious plans to establish a major hub in Israel to service a broad range of European routes.
September 2014: Ryanair agrees to purchase up to 200 Boeing 737 MAX 8s
On 8 September 2014, Ryanair agreed to purchase up to 200 Boeing 737 MAX 8s for over $22 billion.
September 2014: Commitment to order 100 new Boeing 737 MAX 8s
On 8 September 2014, Ryanair committed to ordering 100 new Boeing 737 MAX 8s (plus options for an additional 100) for delivery in 2019.
December 2014: Ryanair announces plans to open base in Azores
In December 2014 Ryanair announced plans to open its 72nd base in 2015 in the Azores.
December 2014: Finalization of order for Boeing 737 MAX 200s
On 1 December 2014, Ryanair finalized its order for up to 200 Boeing 737 MAX 200s, becoming the launch customer.
2014: Delayed launch of long-haul airline
In February 2010, O'Leary said the launch of the new airline would be delayed until 2014, at the earliest, because of the shortage of suitable, cheap aircraft.
2014: Ryanair opens bases in Athens, Lisbon, Brussels, and Rome
In the summer of 2014, Ryanair opened bases in Athens, Lisbon, and the primary airports of Brussels and Rome for the first time.
2014: Ryanair head office moved to Airside Business Park
Since 2014, Ryanair's head office has been located in the Airside Business Park in Swords, County Dublin, Ireland.
May 2015: Copenhagen Mayor announces boycott of Ryanair
In May 2015, the Mayor of Copenhagen announced a boycott of Ryanair, following protests from Danish unions over employment conditions, which led Ryanair to move its bases out of Denmark after a court confirmed the unions' right to strike.
December 2015: Ryanair plans to open operating base at Milan Malpensa Airport
In December 2015, Ryanair confirmed plans to open an operating base at Milan Malpensa Airport, initially with one aircraft.
2015: Delivery of four ordered aircraft
In 2015, four of the five aircraft ordered in April 2014 were delivered to Ryanair.
2015: Planned base in Azores
In December 2014, Ryanair announced plans to open its 72nd base in 2015 in the Azores.
February 2016: Delivery of last of five ordered aircraft
In February 2016, the last of the five aircraft ordered in April 2014 was delivered to Ryanair.
March 2016: Ryanair launches corporate jet charter service
On 9 March 2016, Ryanair introduced a corporate jet charter service, offering a Boeing 737-700 for corporate or group hire.
November 2016: Ryanair launches new package holiday service
In November 2016, Ryanair launched Ryanair Holidays, a new package holiday service offering flights, accommodation, and transfer packages.
2016: Ryanair became the world's largest airline by scheduled international passengers
In 2016, Ryanair became the world's largest airline by scheduled international passengers.
2016: Ryanair accuses websites of screenscraping and false advertising
In 2016, Ryanair stated that websites such as Opodo and CheapOair and their partners engaged in screenscraping and false advertising, and attempted to prevent them from showing Ryanair data.
2016: Ryanair withdraws flights from Rygge Airport
In 2016, Ryanair withdrew over half of its flights from Rygge airport in Norway, after which the airport decided to close down totally, as it was privately owned and would make a loss on the low traffic volume.
April 2017: Ryanair adds connecting flights
In April 2017 Ryanair added connecting flights to its portfolio, starting with a new transfer hub in Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO).
April 2017: Ryanair issues tickets for connecting flights
In April 2017, Ryanair began issuing tickets for connecting flights, ensuring rebooking and compensation for missed connections at no extra cost, initially only for connections at Rome-Fiumicino airport.
September 2017: Pilots mobilize after flight cancellations
Thousands of flight cancellations on 15 September 2017 triggered pilots to mobilise.
October 2017: Ryanair faces widespread criticism after flight cancellations
In October 2017, Ryanair was subject to widespread criticism after it cancelled between 40 and 50 flights per day during September and October, citing the cancellations aimed "to improve its system-wide punctuality" which had dropped significantly.
December 2017: Ryanair announced it would recognise pilots' unions
In December 2017, Ryanair announced that it would recognise pilots' unions. The company still refuses to recognize or negotiate with any union for cabin crew.
December 2017: Ryanair UK established in anticipation of Brexit
Ryanair UK was established in December 2017 in anticipation of Brexit.
2017: Ryanair announces independent Polish subsidiary
In 2017, Ryanair announced that it would launch an independent Polish subsidiary in 2018, operating charter flights from Poland to Mediterranean destinations.
2017: Ryanair announces plans to add 50 new aircraft annually
In 2017, Ryanair revealed its strategy to incorporate 50 new aircraft into its fleet each year for the subsequent five years, with the objective of accommodating 160 million passengers by the early 2020s.
2017: European Commission blocks Ryanair bid for Aer Lingus
In 2017, the European Commission blocked Ryanair's bid to acquire Aer Lingus, which had also blocked an earlier bid.
February 2018: Ryanair cuts flights out of Glasgow Airport
In February 2018, due to the Scottish Government not abolishing or reducing Air Passenger Duty (APD), Ryanair announced that it would cut many flights out of Glasgow Airport resulting in the airline closing its base there. This resulted in the loss of 300 members of airport staff.
March 2018: Ryanair purchases stake in Laudamotion
In March 2018, Ryanair purchased a 25-percent share in Laudamotion to increase the share to 75 per cent pending government approval.
April 2018: Ryanair Sun receives Polish Air Operator's Certificate
In April 2018, Ryanair Sun, Ryanair's Polish subsidiary, received its Polish Air Operator's Certificate and subsequently launched. Initially, it had only one former Ryanair Boeing 737-800 and complemented its operation with wet-leased aircraft from its mother company.
June 2018: Launch of Laudamotion
In June 2018, Laudamotion was launched after Ryanair purchased a 25-percent share in March 2018.
August 2018: Ryanair pilots strike
On 10 August 2018, pilots of Ryanair in Germany, Sweden, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands walked out for 24 hours, leading to 400 flights cancelled.
August 2018: Ryanair announces new baggage policy
On 23 August 2018, Ryanair announced a new baggage policy that allowed Priority Boarding for passengers with a larger and smaller bag, capped by the airplane's capacity.
September 2018: Ryanair cancels flights due to strikes
On 26 September 2018, Ryanair cancelled 150 flights due to strikes in multiple countries. The British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) urged compensation for affected passengers.
September 2018: Pilots, cabin crew, and staff call for strike
On 28 September 2018, pilots, cabin crew and other staff called for a strike due to the transition from workers being employed on Irish contracts and subject to Irish legislation to their own countries' labour laws, along with an issue in their pay.
December 2018: Ryanair fully acquires Laudamotion
In December 2018, Ryanair fully acquired the Austrian airline Laudamotion.
December 2018: CAA takes legal action against Ryanair
In December 2018, the Civil Aviation Authority announced legal action against Ryanair for refusing to compensate UK-based customers affected by flight cancellations.
2018: First aircraft transferred to Ryanair UK
In 2018, Ryanair DAC transferred its first aircraft, re-registered as G-RUKA, to Ryanair UK.
2018: Ryanair among top 10 EU CO2 emitters
In 2018, Ryanair was included as one of the top 10 companies in the EU with the highest amount of CO2 emissions, being the first airline to be included. Ryanair had an emission equivalent of 9.9 megatonnes of CO2 that year, with emissions having risen by 49% over five years. Environmentalists harshly criticized the airline.
2018: Ryanair introduces additional brands and operating certificates
Starting in 2018, Ryanair began introducing additional brands and operating on multiple certificates in different countries.
January 2019: Ryanair ranked least-liked short-haul airline
In January 2019, a Which? survey found that Ryanair was the UK's least-liked short-haul airline, for the sixth year running.
April 2019: Ryanair reinstates four routes out of Glasgow
In April 2019, Ryanair reinstated four of its routes out of Glasgow; to Alicante, Brussels, Málaga and Warsaw.
June 2019: Ryanair announces new airline Malta Air
On 9 June 2019, Ryanair announced, together with the Government of Malta, that it would establish a new airline called Malta Air, to consist of an initial fleet of ten aircraft.
August 2019: Ryanair ranked bottom for customer service
In August 2019, Ryanair came bottom in an annual Which? survey rating the customer services of 100 popular UK brands.
2019: Second aircraft transferred to Ryanair UK
In 2019, a second aircraft was transferred to Ryanair UK.
2019: Reaffirmation of confidence in 737 MAX aircraft
In 2019, following the grounding of all 737 MAX aircraft, Ryanair reaffirmed its confidence in the aircraft and indicated it would be ready to place a new order once it had returned to service. They would seek a reduced price instead of cash compensation.
2019: Transition to separate sister airlines
In 2019, the transition began from the airline Ryanair and its subsidiaries into separate sister airlines under the Ryanair Holdings company. Also in 2019, Malta Air joined Ryanair Holdings.
2019: Ryanair made unsubstantiated claims in 2019 advertisements
In February 2020, the ASA said that Ryanair used an efficiency ranking from 2011 which was "of little value as substantiation for a comparison made in 2019" when making claims in its advertisements.
2019: Ryanair reports net profit for April-June period
In comparison, in the same period of 2019, the firm made a net profit of €243 million.
2019: Airline management changes
In early 2019, each airline (Ryanair, LaudaMotion, Ryanair Sun and Ryanair UK) got its own CEO and management team. Edward Wilson became the CEO of the airline Ryanair and Michael O'Leary became the Group CEO.
2019: Planned delivery of Boeing 737 MAX 8s
On 8 September 2014, Ryanair committed to ordering 100 new Boeing 737 MAX 8s (plus options for an additional 100) for delivery in 2019.
2019: Ryanair Sun rebranded as Buzz
Ryanair Sun was rebranded Buzz in 2019.
2019: Demand to return to 2019 levels by 2022
Ryanair announced in a statement that it expected demand to return to 2019 levels by the summer of 2022.
February 2020: ASA bans Ryanair adverts for misleading environmental claims
In February 2020, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) instructed Ryanair to provide adequate evidence to support environmental claims. The ASA banned advertisements that claimed Ryanair was the lowest emissions airline in Europe for being misleading. The adverts claimed Ryanair had "the lowest carbon emissions of any major airline" and was a "low CO2 emissions airline" based on Europe's top 27 airlines. The ASA queried some figures and the definition of a "major airline" for the purposes of assessing the claims, which customers would interpret as saying that flying with Ryanair would mean they contributed fewer CO2 emissions to the earth atmosphere. The ASA said the adverts "ads must not appear again in their current forms" as claims in them could not be substantiated.
March 2020: Ryanair CEO comments on COVID-19 pandemic
On 3 March 2020, Ryanair's CEO, Michael O'Leary, commented that he expected people to get 'bored' of the COVID-19 pandemic and foresaw a recovery by the summer of 2020.
March 2020: Ryanair cancels flights and places staff on furlough
Starting in late March 2020, in response to flight cancellations due to travel restrictions set by governments due to COVID-19, Ryanair was forced to cancel flights and place many of their staff on furlough.
May 2020: Ryanair announces 3000 job losses
On 1 May 2020, Ryanair announced it would suspend the majority of its operations until June 2020. This included the loss of 3000 jobs, which affected mainly pilots and cabin crew.
June 2020: Ryanair suspends majority of operations
In June 2020, Ryanair suspended the majority of its operations until June 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
July 2020: Ryanair reports net loss for April-June period
In July 2020, Ryanair's CEO, Michael O'Leary announced that the company had made a net loss of €185 million in the period April–June 2020.
September 2020: Ryanair threatens to leave Ireland due to COVID-19 restrictions
In September 2020, Ryanair threatened to leave Ireland due to COVID-19 restrictions.
October 2020: Ryanair reduces flight schedule
In October 2020, Ryanair decided to reduce the number of flights between the period of November 2020 – March 2021 to 40% due to government mismanagement of EU air travel.
November 2020: Ryanair reduces flight schedule
In November 2020, Ryanair decided to reduce the number of flights between the period of November 2020 – March 2021 to 40% due to government mismanagement of EU air travel.
December 2020: Ryanair reports passenger drop due to COVID-19
By the end of December 2020, Ryanair reported an 83% drop in annual passengers, from 2019, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
December 2020: Ryanair increases order for Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft
In December 2020, Ryanair increased its order for Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft by 75, to a total of 210 aircraft, for delivery from early 2021 to December 2024.
2020: Malta Air fleet expansion
By mid-2020, the fleet of Malta Air was expected to increase from six Boeing 737-800 aircraft to ten.
2020: Criticism for misleading "Lowest Emissions Airline" advertisements
In 2020, Ryanair faced criticism for releasing misleading advertisements that claimed they were "Europe's… Lowest Emissions Airline". The figures used came from an airline efficiency rating dating back to 2011.
2020: Warning of short-term base closures
In July 2020, Ryanair warned that some of its bases would be subject to short-term closures due to the shortfall in MAX deliveries.
2020: Criticism over "jab and go" advert
In late 2020, Ryanair faced criticism regarding its "jab and go" advertisement.
March 2021: Ryanair reduced flight schedule
In March 2021, Ryanair's reduced flight schedule between the period of November 2020 and March 2021 ended due to government mismanagement of EU air travel.
April 2021: High Court rejects Ryanair's claim for compensation exemption
In April 2021, the High Court rejected Ryanair's claim for exemption from awarding compensation for flight disruptions, ruling against their argument of "extraordinary circumstances".
May 2021: Ryanair releases full financial report
On 17 May 2021, Ryanair released its full financial report, reporting a record annual loss of $989 million due to the persisting COVID-19 pandemic.
June 2021: First Boeing 737 MAX 200 delivered
On 16 June 2021, the first Boeing 737 MAX 200 was finally delivered to Ryanair.
July 2021: Ryanair handed back leased B737s
In July 2021, it was announced that Ryanair had already handed back all of its leased B737s, which were replaced by incoming B737 MAX 200 aircraft.
2021: Ryanair increases flights at large airports
In 2021, Ryanair increased flights at large airports where it is not dominant and pays the normal fees, such as Barcelona, Oslo, Copenhagen, and Manchester.
2021: Ryanair to begin delivery of increased order for Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft
In December 2020, Ryanair increased its order for Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft by 75, to a total of 210 aircraft, for delivery from early 2021 to December 2024.
February 2022: Court of Appeal upholds ruling against Ryanair
In February 2022, the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court's ruling against Ryanair, potentially requiring them to compensate customers for flight disruptions.
June 2022: Backlash over Afrikaans test for South African passengers
In June 2022, Ryanair faced severe criticism for requiring South Africans to take a general knowledge test in Afrikaans before boarding UK-bound flights, to verify passport genuineness.
November 2022: Company announced 124 Boeing 737 MAX 200 by summer 2023
In November 2022, the company announced it would have 124 Boeing 737 MAX 200 by summer 2023, reducing the number of unfulfilled orders to 86 aircraft.
2022: Ryanair to close base at Frankfurt Airport
In 2022, Ryanair announced that it would close its base at Frankfurt Airport in a row over fees, with the loss of 17 routes. The five aircraft based there are to be based in other locations throughout Europe.
2022: Ryanair expects demand to return to 2019 levels
Ryanair announced in a statement that it expected demand to return to 2019 levels by the summer of 2022.
January 2023: First Ryanair 737-800 retrofitted with split scimitar winglets
In January 2023, the first Ryanair 737-800 to be retrofitted with split scimitar winglets entered service.
January 2023: Airbus A320 leases extended
On 30 January 2023, Ryanair Holdings CFO Neil Sorahan said that the Airbus A320 leases are extended to 2028.
April 2023: Ryanair UK fleet size
As of April 2023, Ryanair UK had 13 aircraft.
May 2023: Ryanair confirms order for Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft
In May 2023, Ryanair confirmed an order with Boeing to purchase 300 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft, for delivery between 2027 and 2033.
November 2023: Ryanair announces first regular dividend
In November 2023, Ryanair announced their first regular dividend.
December 2023: Ryanair Website Hits 40M Monthly Visits
By December 2023 the website hit 40M monthly visits.
December 2023: Ryanair briefly became most valuable airline
In December 2023, Ryanair was briefly recognized as the most valuable airline globally and the largest outside the US.
2023: Ryanair group employee numbers
In 2023, the Ryanair group included approximately 6,600 pilots, 13,400 cabin crew, 2,200 administration, IT, ground operations and maintenance staff, and 125 management employees.
December 2024: Ryanair to end delivery of increased order for Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft
In December 2020, Ryanair increased its order for Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft by 75, to a total of 210 aircraft, for delivery from early 2021 to December 2024.
2024: Ryanair announces $1.4 billion investment in Morocco
In 2024, Ryanair announced a $1.4 billion investment in Morocco for its Summer schedule. This included over 1,100 weekly flights on 175 routes, with 35 new ones, introducing ultra-low fares on 11 domestic routes.
2024: Ryanair became the "largest player in the region"
In 2024, Ryanair was again recognized as the "largest player in the region".
January 2025: Ryanair to introduce four new routes
On 14 January 2025, it was reported that Ryanair will be introducing four additional new routes to its destinations; Wroclaw, Cagliari, Valencia and Kaunas beginning June 2025.
January 2025: Ryanair to introduce five new routes to Sarajevo
On 14 January 2025, reports emerged that Ryanair will introduce five new routes to Sarajevo.
March 2025: Ryanair to serve additional two routes between Paris and Karlsruhe to Sarajevo
Beginning 31 March 2025, Ryanair will serve additional two routes between Paris and Karlsruhe to Sarajevo.
March 2025: Ryanair Group fleet
As of March 2025, the Ryanair Group fleet consists of the following aircraft:
April 2025: Ryanair to serve additional three routes to Stockholm, Weeze and Girona
In early April 2025, Ryanair will introduce three more routes to the Bosnia and Herzegovina capital to Stockholm, Weeze and Girona.
June 2025: Beginning of four additional new routes
On 14 January 2025, it was reported that Ryanair will be introducing four additional new routes to its destinations; Wroclaw, Cagliari, Valencia and Kaunas beginning June 2025.
2027: Ryanair to begin receiving Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft
In May 2023, Ryanair confirmed an order with Boeing to purchase 300 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft, for delivery between 2027 and 2033.
2028: Extension of Airbus A320 leases
On 30 January 2023, Ryanair Holdings CFO Neil Sorahan said that the Airbus A320 leases are extended to 2028.
2033: Ryanair to end receiving Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft
In May 2023, Ryanair confirmed an order with Boeing to purchase 300 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft, for delivery between 2027 and 2033.
