Ryanair swings to €185m quarterly loss; sees 'challenging' year ahead

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Low-cost carrier Ryanair swung to a first-quarter loss after it was forced to ground most of its fleet due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Net losses for the three months through June amounted to €185m, compared to a profit of €243m on-year.

Revenue slumped 95% to €2.31bn after the company grounded 99% of its fleet from mid-March until to end of June.

Ryanair said the past quarter was the most challenging in its 35-year history and that the remained of the year would be challenging, too.

'It is impossible to predict how long the Covid-19 pandemic will persist, and a second wave of Covid-19 cases across Europe in late autumn, when the annual flu season commences, is our biggest fear right now,' it said.

The company said it expected to record a smaller loss in the second quarter, reflecting a gradual return to flying from 1 July. It also said it expected to fly about 60m passengers in the 2021 financial year.

With regards to the delayed Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, Ryanair said Boeing were indicating a late third-quarter of 2020 return to service in the US.

Ryanair said this would hopefully allow it to accept delivery of its first MAX-200 before the end of 2020.