3rd Dec 2015 08:09
LONDON (Alliance News) - Low-cost European airlines Ryanair Holdings PLC and Wizz Air Holdings PLC on Thursday both reported a rise in passenger numbers in November.
Ryanair saw customer numbers rise 21% to 7.71 million in November, compared to 6.35 million a year before. It reported a five-percentage-point rise in load factor to 93% from 88% in the previous year.
The airline attributed its customer growth to lower fares, stronger forward bookings, and its 'Always Getting Better' customer experience programme.
"Ryanair customers can now look forward to more service enhancements, as we continue Year 2 of our AGB programme, which includes our new car hire service, new website, new app, new cabin interiors, new crew uniforms, and improved inflight menus, as Ryanair continues to deliver so much more than just the lowest fares in Europe," said Ryanair's Chief Marketing Officer Kenny Jacobs in a statement.
Meanwhile, FTSE 250-listed Wizz Air, which is focused on Central and Eastern Europe, reported a 25.5% rise in booked passenger numbers to 1.5 million, up from 1.2 million a year before, and a 0.6 point rise in load factor to 83.6% from 82.9%.
The company signed a lease agreement for 11 Airbus A321ceo aircraft and expanded its fleet to 64 aircraft during the month, as well as expanding its network further by adding two new routes from and to Romania and Lithuania, including a new destination of Palanga in Lithuania.
Separately Thursday Wizz Air reported that it has opened its 23rd base in Iasi, Romania, with one Airbus A320 aircraft. Iasi will be Wizz Air's sixth Romanian airport with base operations, it said, and the aircraft will increase the number of routes served from Iasi to eight and triple seat capacity to 2650,000 in 2016.
Wizz Air will begin operating five new routes from the Iasi base starting from the beginning of July 2016.
Shares in Ryanair were up 0.9% at EUR14.70 Thursday morning, shortly after market open, whilst Wizz Air was down 0.5% at 1,741.00 pence.
By Hana Stewart-Smith; [email protected]; @HanaSSAllNews
Copyright 2015 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
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