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European low-cost airlines report rise in June passengers

Budget carriers Ryanair and Wizz Air have reported rises in passenger numbers throughout June, compared to last year.

Wizz Air passenger numbers soared by almost 22% last month as the Hungarian budget carrier expanded its network.

Carryings in June rose to more than three million as the airline’s fleet expanded to 102 aircraft with the delivery of four Airbus A320s.

The airline also opened a base in Vienna and started operations from Tallinn.

The eastern and central European low cost carrier saw its load factor increase by one percentage point year-on-year to 93.3%.

Its June performance gave an annual rolling passenger total of 31 million, up 23% on the previous 12 months.

Ryanair’s June passenger carryings grew by 7% to 12.6 million despite more than 1,100 flight cancellations.

The Irish budget carrier blamed air traffic control strikes and staff shortages for the flight disruption, which compared to just 41 cancellations in June last year.

Chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs said: “Regrettably over 210,000 Ryanair customers had their flights cancelled in June because of four weekends of ATC strikes and repeated UK, German and French ATC staff shortages.

“Ryanair calls for urgent action by the EU Commission and European governments to ameliorate the effect of ATC strikes and staff shortages in the UK, Germany and France from disrupting the travel plans of millions of Europe’s consumers this summer.”

He said that the airline’s passenger load factor remained strong at 96% last month on the back of lower fares.

The June figures gave Ryanair a rolling total up 7% to almost 133 million passengers.

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