Ryanair targets 300m pax by 2034 Ian Taylor


Ryanair aims to capture one-third of the European short-haul market in the next decade as it targets carrying 300 million passengers a year by 2034. The airline carried 168 million in the 12 months to March, up from 149 million in 2019-20, and expects to carry 185 million in the 12 months to March 2024. Ryanair will operate its largest-ever


schedule this summer with more than 3,000 daily flights and capacity 25% up on its pre-Covid level, while most carriers will continue to operate below pre-pandemic volumes. Group chief executive Michael O’Leary promised “a decade of


sustained growth”, saying: “We’re the largest airline in Europe and still growing 10% a year. It’s astonishing. We have access to 50 new aircraft a year for the next three years.” He argued: “Growth will slow as


we get to 2027 [and] to 225 million passengers a year, but we still expect to grow at 5%-6% a year.” Ryanair placed an order for


another 300 Boeing 737 Max aircraft earlier this month for delivery from 2027, half of which will serve to expand its fleet and half to replace older aircraft. It currently operates 540 aircraft. O’Leary dismissed environmental


concerns about Ryanair’s expansion, arguing: “The 185 million passengers who fly with Ryanair are reducing


Advantage to install up to 100 high-tech screens in agencies


Juliet Dennis


The Advantage Travel Partnership has unveiled plans to roll out up to 100 “artificial intelligence window screens” across its national network by the end of this year. The in-store digital signage,


known as The Advantage Travel TV Network, follows a successful three- month pilot in partnership with sales and marketing specialist Flexi Reps. The technology is used in other


retail sectors, such as estate agencies, but Advantage said its rollout would be a first for the travel industry. The first wave of the rollout


will involve 30 Advantage agencies 4 25 MAY 2023


installing the screens in their store windows, with a further 20 planned for installation in the coming months. The consortium said the new


technology, developed by software specialist Halo Nomadix, would enable members to boost bookings by showing destination videos and offers in store windows, while a small data box would track how many customers stop to watch the screens, what they watch and for how long. The provision of real-time data


would help to steer agents’ marketing propositions, said chief commercial officer Kelly Cookes, as well as provide useful analysis for members’ commercial partners.


The thesis that


there is no more growth in Europe is wrong – traffic will continue to be strong


emissions by switching from legacy carriers with older aircraft and lower seat factors.” He also dismissed investment


analysts who questioned whether demand in Europe would continue to grow, saying: “We’re still growing significantly in mature markets. The thesis that there is no more growth in Europe, that the European aviation market is tapped out, is wrong.


“Capacity will be constrained in


Europe for the next five years and traffic will continue to be strong. We’ll capture about one-third of the market in Europe in the next 10 years.” O’Leary acknowledged fares


would increasingly have to reflect the cost of carbon emissions. “Environmental taxation will


become a feature of European air travel in the next five years,” he said. “But it needs to be fair environmental taxation. Long-haul has to pay its fair share, as does transfer traffic.” However, he insisted: “Taxes


won’t fundamentally alter the huge cost advantages we have over competitors. We’ll be the beneficiaries


of environmental taxes in Europe.” i Business, page 48


Kelly Cookes describes the new screens as a ‘game changer’


“The real commercial


opportunity is the AI technology behind these screens,” she said. “This for me is an absolute


game changer for members to adjust their marketing. Members have been involved with the project since its inception through our Members Steering Group, and the feedback has been extremely positive.” Flexi Reps managing director


Craig Davidson, who is leading The Advantage Travel TV Network project, said: “These commercial- grade screens allow Advantage members to transform every A4 window card offer into a TV commercial in a very easy-to-use


format, while also allowing them to share their own brand identity.” He described the viewership data


collected by the data box as a ‘game changer’ for stores and different to agencies’ conventional video screens. Advantage will provide two-thirds


of the content, with each member able to control a third of the content. Content will include videos,


commercial messages and offers from key suppliers and tourist board partners. Members will be able to add


local messages and offers or information on local events. Agencies that already have screens will be able to ‘bolt on’ the data box.


travelweekly.co.uk


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