Ryanair cancelled more than 800 flights last month due to escalating tensions in the Middle East, the airline has confirmed, despite reporting an overall increase in passenger traffic for June.
Europe’s largest carrier by passenger numbers said traffic rose by 3 per cent year-on-year to 19.9 million passengers, even as ongoing conflict in the region forced widespread disruption to flight schedules.
The cancellations were triggered by renewed instability across the Middle East following a sharp escalation in hostilities in June. The latest flashpoint came after Israel launched missile strikes on strategic Iranian facilities, prompting retaliatory attacks and further US military involvement under President Donald Trump, who ordered strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites at Natanz, Isfahan and Fordo.
The security situation prompted a number of major European airlines – including Lufthansa, KLM, Air France and Ryanair – to suspend operations to Tel Aviv and other affected destinations intermittently throughout the summer.
Wizz Air, another European budget airline with significant exposure to Middle Eastern routes, also reported disruption but managed to grow its passenger numbers. Wizz carried 5.9 million passengers in June, marking a 10.8 per cent year-on-year increase. Its seat capacity rose 10.4 per cent, resulting in a load factor of 92.1 per cent, up slightly from 91.7 per cent a year earlier.
The Hungarian carrier has maintained a sporadic service to Israel throughout 2025 and remains under pressure due to ongoing instability in the region. Shares in Wizz fell sharply in early June after CEO József Váradi warned of “a lack of visibility” for the year ahead, citing geopolitical uncertainty and fuel cost volatility.
Ryanair’s rolling 12-month passenger total reached 202.6 million by the end of June, a 7 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. The airline posted a 94 per cent load factor for the month, suggesting strong underlying demand across its network despite the regional setbacks.
However, the carrier continues to face profitability headwinds. It reported a 16 per cent drop in post-tax profit to €1.61 billion (£1.4 billion) for the year ending 31 March, despite achieving record passenger traffic. Rising operational costs, geopolitical risks, and volatile fuel prices have contributed to the squeeze on margins.
The impact of the Middle East conflict is expected to continue weighing on airline operations over the coming months, particularly for carriers like Ryanair and Wizz Air that serve affected destinations.
While the broader travel industry has shown resilience in passenger numbers, analysts warn that further geopolitical developments could impact summer schedules and fuel further volatility in airline share prices.
With no clear resolution in sight in the region and tensions remaining high, Ryanair and its peers are likely to continue navigating a turbulent summer flight season.