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Airline passengers will be hit by price hikes next year, the boss of Ryanair has warned.<\/p>\nAirline passengers will be hit by price hikes next year, the boss of Ryanair has warned.<\/p>\n
Chief executive Michael O\u2019Leary said fares will be more expensive in 2022 due to a 25% reduction in the number of available seats than before the pandemic due to airlines reducing their operations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt in my mind that prices will rise, particularly during the peaks of the bank holiday weekends, the school holiday travel period,\u201d he said this morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will be urging people to book very early because I think there\u2019s less seats and pricing will be higher.\u201d<\/p>\n
He claimed flights \u201cwill never be cheaper\u201d than they are this year, as \u201call the airlines are running with much lower advanced bookings than we have ever had before because of the travel restrictions\u201d.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cThis summer there are going to be great travel bargains.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr O\u2019Leary made the comments as the ban on international leisure travel was lifted for people in Britain.<\/p>\n
British Airways boss Sean Doyle said passengers are benefitting from a combination of \u201cvery competitive prices\u201d and \u201cgreat flexibility\u201d for amending bookings.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s kind of the best of both worlds today for travelers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of airlines out there competing for business, and we will always be competitive.\u201d<\/p>\n