Profile: Ryanair Holdings PLC (RYAAY.O)

Ryanair Holdings plc (Ryanair Holdings), incorporated in 1996, is the holding company for Ryanair Limited (Ryanair). Ryanair operates a low-fares, scheduled passenger airline serving short-haul, point-to-point routes in Europe and Morocco from its bases at Dublin, London (Stansted and Luton), Glasgow (Prestwick), Brussels (Charleroi), Frankfurt (Hahn), Milan (Bergamo), Stockholm (Skvasta), Rome (Ciampino), Barcelona (Girona), Nottingham East Midlands, Liverpool, Shannon, Pisa, Cork, Marseille, Madrid, Bremen, Dusseldorf (Weeze), Bristol, Alicante, Belfast, Bournemouth, Birmingham, Kerry, Edinburgh, Reus, Alghero, Cagliari, Trapani, Bologna and Pescara airports, which together are referred to as Ryanair’s bases of operations or Ryanair’s bases. As of June 30, 2009, the Company offered over 1,200 scheduled short-haul flights per day serving 145 locations throughout Europe and Morocco, with an operating fleet of 196 aircraft flying approximately 845 routes. The Company also holds a 29.8% interest in Aer Lingus Group plc (Aer Lingus).

As of June 30, 2009, Ryanair’s operating fleet consisted of 196 Boeing 737-800 next-generation aircraft, each having 189 seats. As of June 30, 2009, Ryanair had sold 25 Boeing 737-800 aircraft to third parties. Ryanair provides frequent point-to-point service on short-haul routes to secondary and regional airports in and around population centers and travel destinations. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009 (fiscal 2009), Ryanair flew an average route length of 409 miles and average flight duration of approximately 1.55 hours. During fiscal 2009, Ryanair announced 236 new routes originating from Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The Company has introduced Internet-based reservations and ticketing service, which allows passengers to make reservations and purchase tickets directly through the Company’s Website, www.ryanair.com.

Ryanair provides various ancillary services and engages in other activities connected with its core air passenger service, including non-flight scheduled services, Internet-related services, and the in-flight sale of beverages, food and merchandise. As part of its non-flight scheduled and Internet-related services, Ryanair distributes accommodation services through its Website and travel insurance through both its Website and its telephone reservation offices. Ryanair also sells bus and rail tickets onboard its aircraft and through its Website. In addition, Ryanair has a contract with the Hertz Corporation (Hertz), pursuant to which Hertz handles all car rental services marketed through Ryanair’s Website or telephone reservation system. Hertz pays a per passenger fee to Ryanair. For hotel services, Ryanair has a contract with Booking.com, pursuant to which Booking.com handles all aspects of such services and pays a fee to Ryanair. Ryanair also has contracts with other accommodation providers that enable it to offer camping, hostels, bed and breakfast accommodations and villas to its customers. In January 2008, Ryanair signed a contract with Costa Cruises, pursuant to which Costa Cruises handles all cruise bookings made via www.ryanair.com. Costa Cruises pays Ryanair a per-passenger fee. Ryanair also sells gift vouchers on www.ryanair.com. Such gift vouchers are redeemable online.

In April 2008, Ryanair entered into a contract with On Air, a provider of mobile voice and data solutions for aircraft, for the provision of an in-flight communications service that will allow Ryanair passengers to use mobile phone and electronic communication devices, such as Blackberries while onboard Ryanair aircraft. Ryanair will pay a one-off fee for the equipment and bear the cost of its installation on Ryanair aircraft. Ryanair will receive commissions on mobile calls made and text messages and e-mails sent using the service, which will be billed to customers based on international roaming rates. This service is in trials on Dublin, Rome (Ciampino), Pisa and Milan (Bergamo)-based aircraft. Ryanair has agreements with MBNA and GE Capital Bank (GE Capital), both issuers of Visa credit cards. Pursuant to these agreements, the Company promotes Ryanair-branded credit cards issued by MBNA and GE Capital onboard its aircraft, on its Internet site, and via direct marketing at airports served by Ryanair in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Poland and Sweden. The MBNA agreement relates to Irish residents only and the GE Capital agreement relates to United Kingdom, Swedish and Polish residents only. Ryanair generates revenues from MBNA and GE Capital on the basis of the number of cards issued and the revenues generated through the use of the credit cards.

Ryanair provides its own aircraft and passenger handling and ticketing services at Dublin Airport. Third parties provide these services to Ryanair at most other airports it serves. Servisair plc provides Ryanair’s ticketing, passenger and aircraft handling, and ground handling services at many of these airports in Ireland and the United Kingdom (excluding London Stansted Airport where these services are provided primarily by Swissport Ltd.), while similar services in continental Europe are generally provided by the local airport authorities, either directly or through sub-contractors. During fiscal 2009, Ryanair introduced kiosks for the issuance of boarding passes and the provision of other services. The Company has these kiosks in operation at London (Stansted), Frankfurt (Hahn), Belfast and Girona (Barcelona).