Ryanair to cut winter flights in Europe as fuel costs rise

Ryanair said Wednesday that it would reduce its winter schedule in Europe as the Irish no-frills airline and other carriers come up against higher fuel costs caused by the US-Iran war, according to The Local Italy.

The announcement comes as jet fuel prices have climbed sharply in recent weeks, squeezing the budgets of budget carriers that operate on thin margins. Ryanair, which has expanded aggressively across Italy in recent years, is among the airlines most exposed to the price surge.

For Italy's smaller airports, the news carries particular weight. Regional hubs in the Apennine interior and along the Adriatic coast have come to rely on Ryanair's routes to sustain passenger traffic and the tourism and business travel that follows.