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Demand for low-cost flights from UK remained strong in September, with Ryanair and Wizz Air both reporting significant year-on-year passenger growth despite widespread disruption.
Ryanair carried 20.1 million passengers, up 4% from September 2025, while Wizz Air carried 7.78 million, an increase of 24.2%.
Ryanair operated more than 111,700 flights but cancelled over 1,000 during the month because of UK air traffic control disruption, Belgian ATC strikes and Mount Etna eruptions. Its load factor remained at 94%. Wizz Air offered 8.46 million seats, with capacity rising 25.3%. Its load factor was 92%.
The figures came after a difficult September for UK aviation. An air traffic control failure on 8 September caused widespread disruption, followed by a second NATS-related technical problem later in the month. NATS said the first incident was caused by a software defect and disrupted the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers.
For UK travellers, the figures show that demand for affordable European flights remains strong. Wizz Air also reported a stronger pricing environment, suggesting some of the cheapest fares could become harder to find on busy routes.
Travellers comparing cheap flights from the UK may benefit from checking different dates, airports and airlines before booking.
The latest figures suggest budget airlines continue to see strong demand as the autumn and winter travel seasons begin.
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