Ryanair cancels 870 flights due to Gaza war

The latest data reveals that Ryanair, an Irish low-cost airline operating numerous routes between Israel and Europe, had to cancel over 870 flights in October due to the ongoing war in Gaza.

Most airlines suspended their flights to Tel Aviv, with Ryanair's routes currently on hold until Monday, November 6.

Competitors such as easyJet have also frozen flights until November 30, while Wizz Air's suspension will last until November 15.

Ryanair successfully operated 96,700 flights in October

TravelWeekly reports that Ryanair, which will release its first-half results on November 6, successfully operated 96,700 flights in October, despite the grounding of more than 870 flights. This disruption followed the deadly attack by Hamas on October 7, resulting in the loss of over 1,400 Israeli lives.

Despite these challenges, Ryanair recorded a 9% increase in the total number of passengers flown in October compared to the same period last year, reaching a total of 17.1 million passengers.

This achievement contributed to Ryanair's annual revenue of £180.3 million. Conversely, Wizz Air experienced a 19% rise in passenger numbers in October, with a total of 5.4 million passengers and an annual income of £64.1 million. 

Wizz Air continues to monitor the situation in Israel and prioritizes the safety of passengers, employees, and aircraft. As recently reported in Vala! Tourism, Ryanair set a new record for passenger numbers in August, flying almost 19 million passengers during the peak month.