SerpApi.Org
Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary says an initial investigation into the incident where a passenger was almost sucked out of a jet window indicates the glass had been smashed by ‘foreign object damage’.
On July 10, Serbian man Ljubisa Karovic, 61, was held back from being pulled out of the aircraft by his seatbelt and fellow passengers, including his wife, Svetlana Grkovic.
The incident happened mid-air on a Ryanair flight between Greece and Germany. Mr Karovic survived, but remains in hospital with neck and shoulder injuries, friction burns and severe psychological trauma, according to his wife.
Mr O’Leary was questioned about the incident while presenting Ryanair’s results for the April-June quarter yesterday. He said: ‘Initial indication would suggest it looks like a foreign object damage to the engine on takeoff at Thessaloniki, but we… can’t say that definitively.’
A draft report on the incident is due in about a month’s time, followed by a more detailed report. Because the plane was an American-made Boeing 737 NG, the US National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, while the Federal Aviation Administration has already said a piece of engine broke off the aircraft.
Mr O’Leary’s comments came as Ryanair’s quarterly profits slumped by over a third, due to the price of jet fuel doubling as a result of the Iran war. The airline also lowered fares to boost demand.
The low-cost carrier reported a 34% drop in profits after tax to €538 million for the three months to the end of June. It said earnings were affected by surging prices for the 20% of its fuel needs that is not locked in, as well as a 6% drop in average fares. This offset a 6% growth in passenger numbers to 61.3 million and a 1% rise in overall revenues to €4.38 billion.
Mr O’Leary said the airline took action to reduce fares ‘as the Middle East conflict led to consumer hesitancy, concerns about EU jet fuel shortages, economic uncertainty and later bookings’.
Jet fuel prices doubled to $150 a barrel in the quarter as the Iran war sent oil and gas prices rocketing higher. This helped send Ryanair’s operating costs jumping 11% higher to €3.42 billion in the quarter.
An interim peace deal between the US and Iran last month brought some brief respite to oil and energy prices, but they have spiked once again as negotiations have broken down and fighting has resumed.
Mr O’Leary said it was too early to give a full-year outlook for the airline’s results, with the outcome ‘highly sensitive to adverse external developments’.
The airline said fares are continuing to come down ‘modestly’ in the second quarter, despite a recent slight rise in bookings, with passengers continuing to book flights close to departure.
