According to Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary, the presence at Vienna-Schwechat Airport has not led to any losses. However, no profit was made at Austria's largest airport.

In 2020 it sounded very different, because back then people were arguing about what was required new collective agreement for Laudamotion, which was ultimately never finalized, that the subsidiary in Vienna had made high losses. In the meantime, Ryanair boss O'Leary sees this more as calculated start-up costs that have been offset with income from other bases, and sees himself confirmed in the course.

The withdrawal of competitors like Easyjet as well as the Reduction of the Wizz Air base in Vienna the manager interprets, among other things, in the direction that the competitors are no longer interested in the tough competition. IAG has its low-cost subsidiary Level Europe withdrawn towards bankruptcy.

Michael O'Leary assumes that the tough competition in Vienna will relax and that it will result in a match between Austrian Airlines and Ryanair. Within the next two to three years, they want to fly with around 40 aircraft stationed in Vienna and achieve a market share of around 40 percent. It is currently around 17 percent and is aiming for between 2022 and 20 percent for the 25 summer flight schedule. The reductions at the competitor Wizz Air would literally play into the hands of the Irish group.

The Vienna-Schwechat location should already be making a profit in the 2022 summer flight schedule and a strong increase in profitability is expected for the following years. Wizz Air again predicts Michael O'Leary that in his view the current reduction, which mainly affects holiday routes, could possibly be the beginning of the withdrawal from Vienna-Schwechat.

"Wizz Air lands with Lufthansa, Easyjet with Air France-KLM"

The number of employees at Austria's largest airport is set to increase to 600. Temporary employment agency Crewlink is currently looking for 50 new flight attendants for the Ryanair subsidiary Lauda Europe.

Michael O'Leary emphasized at an event in Vienna that the lion's share of the fuel requirement was secured until March 2023 with the help of fuel hedging transactions. You pay around 65 US dollars per unit, which is well below the current market price. He wants to pass this cost advantage on to passengers and predicts that competitors such as Air France-KLM and the Lufthansa Group will soon be increasing their kerosene surcharges. O'Leary accuses the competitor Wizz Air - without giving details - of not having operated sufficient fuel hedging.

In general, the Ryanair boss considers the airlines Easyjet and Wizz Air to be takeover candidates. He suspects that the orange low-cost airline could be swallowed up by Air France-KLM and Wizz Air thinks O'Leary is interesting for Lufthansa. Both groups have problems in the low-cost segment that could be solved with the help of acquisitions.