Ryanair on its growth plans in Poland. "There will definitely be some new features."

Alicja Miłosz, "Wprost": We're meeting at a time of year where we can start summing up our summer holidays and also take a look at our upcoming plans for the fall and winter. Where were Poles most likely to travel with Ryanair this summer, and which destinations were a hit? Are you satisfied with the results?

Alicja Wójcik-Gołębiowska, Head of Communications for CEE Baltics at Ryanair : "We're pleased with the first month of summer holidays. Poles, of course, traditionally choose warm destinations in the summer – we're seeing a lot of interest, especially in our Spanish destinations, but also in our connections to Italy, especially to cities in the south of the country. Our new destinations, such as Lamezia Terme from Krakow and Reggio di Calabria from Katowice, are proving popular."

Poles love traveling to Spanish and Greek islands, as well as the Italian islands of Sardinia and Sicily. Cyprus continues to enjoy great popularity, and since last season, Malta, a true European jewel, has also been a popular destination. Bulgaria is also making a comeback.

We've also seen a continuing trend since last year for Poles to choose several shorter trips instead of one longer one. Our tourists are eager to discover places they haven't been to before.

On the other hand, are there destinations that Poles prefer to travel to later in the year? Some that didn't quite pan out in the summer?

We don't have such destinations from Poland. Poles are a unique group of passengers who travel absolutely everywhere new routes open. What matters most to them is a direct connection from their nearest airport.

For example, we're seeing significant interest in the Gdańsk-Bratislava connection, both from Slovakia and Poland. This is the only such connection from Poland to the Slovak capital, and it's clearly enjoying growing popularity. Bratislava is still undiscovered and even somewhat forgotten, yet it has much to offer.

As we wrap up the summer, it's hard not to mention what plagues passengers most during the peak season. We're talking, of course, about strikes – what's the situation like this season? Which Ryanair routes can we expect delays and disruptions on?

Unfortunately, this summer hasn't been kind to us when it comes to strikes. We've already had a few tough days, and I fear August will bring more.

We strive to keep all passengers who may be affected by this tragedy informed. The biggest challenge, of course, is the French air traffic controller strikes, which cause regular disruptions and delays. This doesn't even apply to strictly French destinations, but rather to flights to Spain, the UK, Ireland, and Portugal—all of which require aircraft to enter French skies .

The second problem is the general shortage of air traffic services across Europe. This month, airports in France were hit hardest by delays, with nearly 7 million passengers in July alone. Spain was next (nearly 4 million passengers), followed by Germany, the United Kingdom, and Greece.

As a consolation, we also have information about the best-performing auditors in Europe, including employees from Ireland, Slovakia, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The situation is also not bad for Polish auditors.

Recent months have also seen many significant changes for travelers. In July, Ryanair surprised tourists by signing a new agreement with Modlin, doubling its available aircraft capacity. You've announced 25 new routes from this airport, some of which, such as Athens, Sicily, and Sardinia, are already familiar to passengers. We know that previously canceled flights will be returning, but is there any chance of completely new destinations?

We've signed a six-year agreement with Modlin Airport, which covers significant growth starting next summer, when the 25 new destinations mentioned above will launch. However, we have a few surprises lined up for this winter. Some are already in the system, but I can't reveal all of them yet. I won't deny that the Warsaw Modlin-Sofia route is among them.

How will it be to coexist at one airport with your competition, which recently announced its entry into Modlin?

We've never had a problem with competition emerging in Modlin. If Modlin Airport quickly expands its infrastructure, there's absolutely room for everyone.

You recently announced new routes at Chopin Airport – to Porto, Leeds, and Seville. Are there any surprises in store for this airport as well, or should Warsaw residents consider traveling from Modlin?

We already have quite a wide range of options at Chopin, considering we've only recently returned there. I can't yet reveal any plans, but I think it's worth keeping an eye on our system, as there may be a few surprises for Warsaw residents.

Poland remains Ryanair's most important market in Central and Eastern Europe, and one of its key markets overall. We're growing rapidly here and plan to double our presence over the next few years. We're currently finalizing our winter network. There will definitely be a few extensions from the summer season and a few new additions that we'll be announcing soon – it's going to be a very good winter for Polish passengers. We'll definitely have more to say on this topic at the end of summer, in early September.

Much also depends on the geopolitical situation and whether certain destinations that were previously suspended will be reinstated in the near future – I'm referring to Israel and Jordan. These are destinations that have traditionally enjoyed great interest during the winter season, but their development is currently on hold . We also want to maintain a presence in Morocco, offering even more connections there from Poland.

Which Polish regional airports are Ryanair targeting? Where do you see the greatest potential?

We're definitely very active in Bydgoszcz. We've also begun developing Olsztyn-Mazury Airport by opening a new route to Germany for the summer season. We also have excellent cooperation with airports in Wrocław, Poznań, Kraków, and Katowice. Rzeszów and Lublin also have significant potential, which we want to utilize.

Is Ryanair planning more Alpine destinations from Poland this winter season, or are you planning to extend your holidays?

Poles are generally looking for warmth, and we see this in our booking systems. As for ski trips, we'll be able to say more at the end of the year, when passengers start looking for winter destinations. We're monitoring trends and also looking at slightly different, more unusual destinations. It's possible that we'll soon see them offered from Poland.

For example, we see that, for financial reasons, skiers across Europe are seeking destinations that are both snow-covered and financially attractive. This week, I was in Plovdiv. This city in southern Bulgaria is a great base for exploring the slopes. We don't yet offer flights to it from Poland, but during the winter season, flights will be available from Milan Malpensa Airport and airports in the UK, among others.

New carry-on baggage limits apply from August 1st. Have you installed stickers on baggage sizers at all airports?

Currently, you can bring a personal item up to 40x30x20 cm on board as carry-on baggage free of charge. The sizers are currently being updated – the boxes will remain the same, but they will feature stickers with the new dimensions. This has been in the works for several weeks and I expect it will be fully finalized soon. Of course, we're working with the airports to get this done as quickly as possible, but ultimately, it's primarily our responsibility.

The key is that the rules apply. Passengers can rest assured that if they bring a personal item measuring 40x30x20 cm, those famous 5 cm won't be a headache.

However, tourists are worried that the new baggage limits may result in more frequent and stricter checks and excess baggage fees, which they do not want to pay.

Our primary goal is for passengers to take the luggage they're entitled to. Unfortunately, it still happens that passengers try to take a cabin bag as a personal item, or take two or three pieces of luggage when they've only paid for one.

Unfortunately, this causes a significant problem both during boarding and when boarding the plane, when luggage must be placed in the appropriate location on board. These limits result from the limited space available, and if the luggage is too large, it won't fit. We don't appreciate passengers bringing excessive luggage and having to pay extra. This is simply a significant inconvenience for other passengers and the staff. We want boarding to be smooth and punctual.

If passengers refuse to pay, they must expect to be denied boarding – either they will leave their baggage at the airport or they will simply be denied boarding. Neither the size of the baggage nor the fees for it are a secret. When we check in for the final flight, information about the baggage allowance and the fees for an additional suitcase (which we can reserve at check-in) are clearly highlighted, both in the app and on the website.

Duty-free shopping bags have been a hot topic lately. Can passengers still bring them on board, in addition to the permitted personal items?

When it comes to duty-free bags, nothing has changed and at this point you can still take them on the plane.

Let's talk about promotions, because that's what excites passengers the most. You recently launched the Ryanair Prime membership program. Opinions online are currently divided – some travelers aren't sure it's actually worth it. Is there interest in this offer, and are there any future improvements for members?

This is still a very new program, launched just a few months ago, and we're constantly listening to feedback from passengers. We may modify it depending on their expectations.

This offer is definitely aimed at frequent travelers – those who fly at least a few, or even a dozen, times a year. They find this program very attractive, as they have access to a package of discounts and benefits.

We'll also be hosting more flash sales, for which we're known. I can only encourage you to visit our website regularly and sign up for our newsletter, where this information will be posted the fastest. There will certainly be plenty of promotions. Poles love to hunt them down, as it encourages them to explore new destinations.

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