Ryanair may raise fares and freeze pay
Ryanair says it may freeze workers' pay and raise airfares
Monday, 2 November 2026
Photo by Niklas Jonasson on Unsplash
Warm-up
- What factors can make flight prices go up?
- Have you ever changed travel plans because of cost? Why?
- How do fuel prices affect everyday life in your country?
Vocabulary
- freeze
- to stop increases for a period, for example stopping pay rises
- airfare
- the price you pay for a seat on a flight
- hedge
- to reduce risk by fixing prices in advance
- forecast
- a statement about what is expected to happen in the future
- conflict
- serious fighting or war between groups or countries
- labour
- work done by employees, or workers as a group
- profit
- money a company makes after costs are paid
- artificial intelligence
- computer systems that do tasks needing human-like thinking
Reading
Listen to this story
British EnglishRyanair says it may freeze workers' pay and raise airfares because its fuel costs have surged after the US-Israel war with Iran. The airline expects prices for aviation fuel to stay high well into 2027 unless there is a swift resolution to the conflict. Its fuel bill is forecast to be €2bn higher in the short term.
The carrier said pre-tax profits fell 16% to €2.4bn in the six months to the end of September, mainly because fuel costs rose by 15%. Although about 80% of its fuel bill was hedged at fixed prices, the cost of the remainder has doubled. Supply of refined products from the Gulf has dropped, increasing competition for fuel produced elsewhere.
Ryanair expects European airfares to increase to help cover costs, and is also considering temporary pay freezes as labour agreements mature. Chief executive Michael O'Leary has said fares could rise by 15% to 20% next year, but he doubts that will fully cover higher oil bills. The firm also plans to expand its use of artificial intelligence in back-office support.
Comprehension
- Why does Ryanair say it may freeze pay and raise airfares?
- How much higher is Ryanair’s fuel bill forecast to be in the short term?
- What happened to Ryanair’s pre-tax profits in the six months to September?
- What share of Ryanair’s fuel bill was hedged, and what happened to the rest?
- By how much does Michael O’Leary say fares could rise next year?
Grammar focus
Used to / would
Use used to + base verb for past states or habits that are not true now. Use would + base verb for repeated past actions (not states). (Examples constructed.)
- As a new traveler, I used to be nervous about fares.
- On busy Fridays, my manager would freeze hiring.
Grammar exercise
Complete each sentence with used to or would + the verb.
- As a student, I (fly) ___ on budget fares every term.
- Before AI tools, clerks (process) ___ invoices by hand.
- At my last company, HR (freeze) ___ pay in tough years.
- Our office (have) ___ fewer automation tools back then.
- Back then, I (know) ___ little about fuel hedging.
Discussion
- Should airlines pass higher fuel costs to travellers? Why or why not?
- Is a pay freeze fair during a cost surge? What alternatives exist?
- How could artificial intelligence cut costs in office work?
- What makes you choose one airline over another besides price?
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