By Andrea Figueras
Ryanair Holdings said it is effectively debt-free after it repaid its last bond of 1.2 billion euros, or $1.39 billion, ahead of what it expects to be a challenging summer season.
Since the business floated in 1997, this is the first time that the Irish budget carrier has repaid all the debt, the group said Monday, adding that it currently has an unencumbered fleet of 620 Boeing 737 aircraft.
Ryanair should be able to continue to grow traffic at much lower fares than its peers, since many of the company's rivals are exposed to expensive long-term debt and aircraft leases, finance chief Neil Sorahan said.
The statement comes a week after the group warned of weakening prices into the key summer season, last-minute bookings and higher fuel costs as airlines face the effects from the war in the Middle East. These include rising energy prices and economic uncertainty, which have prompted some travelers in Europe to hold off on bookings for the summer season.
Sorahan said that the group could revisit the bond markets at some stage in the future as the company intends to increase passenger traffic and takes up to 50 Boeing MAX-10 deliveries annually from 2029 onward.
Write to Andrea Figueras at andrea.figueras@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 25, 2026 08:35 ET (12:35 GMT)
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