RYANAIR CEO Michael O’Leary criticised the Irish government’s handling of Dublin Airport’s passenger restrictions while warning that geopolitical conflicts and rising costs pose long-term risks to the industry across Europe.
Speaking at the airline’s Annual General Meeting in Dublin, O’Leary accused coalition leaders of failing to act on a pledge made in the Programme for Government to remove the airport's 36 million annual passenger cap.
“We have a do-nothing government. We have a do-nothing minister,” he said. “They promised action nine months ago, and here we are in September with zero progress.”
Ryanair has filed a High Court judicial review challenging a recent planning decision by An Coimisiún Pleanála, which imposes new night-time flight restrictions.
O’Leary labelled the limitations “illegal” and warned they threaten early morning transatlantic arrivals, crucial to Dublin Airport’s connectivity.
“The July ruling will effectively block US flights from landing before 7am. When the White House starts to take notice, maybe then our ministers will take their heads out of the sand,” he added.
O’Leary claimed the caps have already cost Dublin Airport approximately one million passengers in 2025 alone, which translates to an estimated 750 lost jobs.
“Tourism numbers are down, investments are being missed, and it's all because of outdated restrictions at a two-runway airport,” he said.
Adding to Ireland’s missed opportunities, Ryanair confirmed that Shannon Airport is no longer in the running for a €400 million aircraft-engine repair facility that would have brought up to 500 jobs to the area.
O’Leary blamed the government’s lack of enthusiasm for the investment.
“There was very little appetite at government level,” he said.
Instead, locations in Eastern Europe and Northern Ireland are being considered.
On operational matters, O’Leary noted that Ryanair's strict enforcement of its baggage policy is seeing results.
“The number of oversized bags at boarding gates is declining, and we’ve had enormous support from passengers,” he said.
The airline plans to increase staff commission for identifying oversized bags from €1.50 to €2.50, though this change may be delayed as it’s tied to broader pay negotiations.
The policy is part of a larger strategy to reduce boarding delays.
Ryanair recently completed the rollout of larger personal bag sizers at 235 airports, expanding the permitted size of under-seat bags by 33%.
Meanwhile, tensions are escalating between Ryanair and Spain’s airport operator Aena over increased airport charges.
Ryanair has already cut 2 million seats over the past year and now threatens to remove another 1 million from its 2026 summer schedule.
“If the Spanish Government can’t rein in Aena, we’ll go elsewhere,” said O’Leary, criticising what he called Aena’s “monopoly approach to pricing”.
The airline claims it has already redirected hundreds of thousands of seats to more cost-effective routes in Italy and southern Spain.
Aena has pushed back, accusing Ryanair of “extortion” and highlighting inconsistencies between the airline’s announced cuts and its actual flight applications.
O’Leary also raised concerns over the growing impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on European aviation.
Following the interception of suspected Russian drones over Poland, he noted that only 60% of Ryanair flights ran on time, a drop from the usual 90%.
“This will be a recurring issue for years. Unless the EU and the White House act decisively, these disruptions will continue,” he said, calling for tougher sanctions on Russia.
Ryanair’s future operations in Israel are also in doubt.
The airline suspended its Tel Aviv route earlier this year amid security concerns and now says it may not return at all.
O’Leary criticised Ben Gurion Airport for imposing higher fees after closing its low-cost terminal and accused authorities of “messing us around”.
“Frankly, we have more growth opportunities elsewhere in Europe,” he said.
“In the face of rising costs, political indecision, and global conflict, we’re still growing,” he said.
“But we’ll go where we’re welcome, and where the numbers make sense.”
See More: Dublin Airport, Michael O'Leary, Ryanair, Spain
