Ryanair is preparing for a sharp increase in its fuel bill that it says cannot necessarily be passed on to travellers alone. The low-cost carrier expects fares to rise across Europe, but is also examining temporary pay freezes, staffing changes and wider use of artificial intelligence.

The central pressure is the expiry of fuel hedges that have shielded much of the airline’s spending from market prices. Ryanair says its fuel bill could rise by roughly €2 billion in the year to March 2028, and warns prices could stay high through 2027 without a rapid end to the Middle East conflict.¹

Reporting focused on workers stresses the possible effect inside the company. Ryanair has said that, because higher fares are unlikely to cover the whole fuel increase, it is reviewing labour agreements that are coming to an end and could introduce “temporary pay freezes.”² The company is also considering lower crew ratios and more AI in operational and back-office work.²

The business-focused account reaches the same conclusion on costs, while placing more weight on the airline’s financial uncertainty. Ryanair expects short-haul fares to “increase materially,” but says this will not fully offset the fuel bill increase.³ Its chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said booking windows remain close to departure, making demand and profit harder to forecast.³

There is broad agreement across the coverage that the airline’s options are constrained: customers face higher ticket prices, while employees could encounter restrained pay and leaner staffing. The difference is one of emphasis—whether the looming adjustment is chiefly a labour issue or a commercial response to volatile energy markets.