Customer service overhaul sees Ryanair set record

Ryanair claims to have become the first airline to fly more than ten million international passengers in a month as its customer service overhaul continues to boost business.

Ryanair planes carried 10.1m passengers last month, running 95 per cent full. Picture: Neil Hanna

The low-cost carrier, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, notched up a record 10.1 million customers in July, up 11 per cent from a year earlier.

It also ran its planes 95 per cent full, up from 91 per cent a year ago, marking its highest ever load factor.

Kenny Jacobs, chief marketing officer for Ryanair, said: “These record customer numbers and highest ever load factors are due to our lower fares, our stronger forward bookings and the continuing success of our ‘Always Getting Better’ customer experience programme.”

In a swipe at Irish rival Aer Lingus, which has been at the centre of a takeover saga, Ryanair claimed its monthly passenger traffic was more than Aer Lingus carried throughout the whole of 2014.

Ryanair has rolled out a raft of initiatives to win over fliers, including allocated seating, new seats with more leg room, improved in-flight meals, extra carry-on luggage and more business-friendly schedules.

It is also promising new aircraft interiors and updated uniforms for cabin crew, as well as a redesigned website and app.