Ryanair passenger traffic is down... but why?

If you follow the travel news and pay attention to Ryanair's headlines, they are always trying to find new ways to increase passenger capacity. Previous schemes have included taking out toilets, then charging passengers £1 a flush and reconfiguring aircraft to accommodate standing room only. Ryanair is a major competitor, often offering the lowest possible price on flights in and around Europe. For the first time in the giant no-frills airline’s history, passenger numbers were down in November.

We’re wondering… why?

Ryanair carried 4.6 million passengers in November. That same month in 2010, Ryanair carried 5 million.

It’s not because less passengers are choosing to fly with Ryanair. In fact, Ryanair is grounding some of its fleet to cope with the rising cost of fuel which has made some of its routes completely unprofitable. Add to that the rising cost of Air Passenger Duty on flights to/from the UK which ups each passenger’s flight price. The airline predicts its winter traffic will fall by about 4% as 80 aircraft park their wings for a season.

Ryanair isn’t the only airline suffering from dropped passenger numbers though. British Airways and Iberia have seen an almost 3% drop in November of this year compared to last. Domestic flights in the UK are down 13%.

The truth is, with the financial recession tightening its grip on Britons, fewer and fewer are finding the money to take ski holidays or winter breaks this year. Instead, many are saving for next summer’s getaway and opting for a staycation this season and spending the Christmas holidays at home rather than away.

What about you? Are you staying home this winter or taking a winter break away?

Image: Sean MacEntee / Flickr cc.