(Alliance News) - Ryanair Holdings PLC and Wizz Air Holdings PLC on Thursday both said they carried more passengers last month than a year before, despite the US and Israeli war on Iran, but the conflict threatens to put a crimp jet fuel supplies in May and June.
Dublin-based Ryanair said it carried 15.8 million passengers in March, up 5.3% from 15.0 million a year before. This was on an unchanged load factor of 93%. Ryanair said it operated more than 88,000 flights last month.
On a rolling 12-month basis, Ryanair carried 208.4 million passengers, up 4.1% from 200.2 million a year before. Load factor was unchanged at 94%.
Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary on Wednesday told Sky News that disruption of jet fuel supplies is not expected until May, despite the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran since the start of March.
"But if the war continues, we do run the risk of supply disruptions in Europe in May and June and obviously we hope the war will finish sooner than that and that the risk to supply will be eliminated," O'Leary said.
Asked about the impact of such shortages, he said: "It's almost impossible to know. If the war finishes and the Strait of Hormuz is opened by the middle or end of April, then there's no risk to supply.
"If the war continues, and the disruption to supply continues, we think there is a reasonable risk that maybe 10%, 20%, 25% of our supplies might be at risk through May and June.
"So, like everybody else in the industry, we hope this war ends sooner rather than later."
Budapest-based Wizz Air on Thursday said it carried 5.5 million passengers in March, up 8.4% from 5.1 million a year before. Capacity was increased by 9.1%, so load factor slipped to 90.0% from 90.5%.
On a rolling 12-month basis, Wizz carried 69.7 million passengers, up 10% on a year before, with a load factor of 90.7%, down from 91.2%.
Wizz said its carbon emissions per passenger kilometre continued to be reduced, down 2.7% on year in March and down 3.1% on a rolling 12-month basis.
Wizz made no comment on fuel supplies on Thursday.
It said it continued to expand in Italy last month, adding aircraft to operations to and from Milan, Rome and Venice. Wizz also last month opened a base at Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro.
Ryanair shares were down 1.6% to EUR24.56 in Dublin early Thursday. Wizz Air shares were down 4.0% to 866.50 pence in London.
By Tom Waite, Alliance News editor
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