Low-cost airline Ryanair has released traffic statistics for June 2014, revealing traffic grew by 400,000 to 8.3m customers – and increase of five per cent when compared to the same month last year. Load factors at the international carrier increased four points to 88 per cent, while rolling annual traffic rose to a record 82.7 million customers, up three per cent.

Ryanair has launched a new aircraft branding agreement with National Express unveiling a specially commissioned livery on three of its Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Ryanair’s selected coach partner at London Stansted Airport, National Express offers Ryanair customers travelling to and from London convenient and reliable coach travel and savings of up to 70 per cent, available to purchase on the Ryanair.com website and onboard.

Low-cost carrier Ryanair has seen profits fall for the first time in five years after a fierce price war ate into margins. The Irish airline reported a net profit of €523 for the year to March 31st, down from €569 million last year.

Boeing and Ryanair have finalised an order for five additional Next-Generation 737s, valued at $452 million at list prices. The announcement brings the total number of unfilled Next-Generation 737 orders for the Ireland-based ultra-low-cost carrier to 180 airplanes.

Ryanair has announced it will open its fifth German base at Cologne in October 2014. The 68th base in total, Ryanair will operate one aircraft from the city, with five new exciting routes to Dublin, London Stansted, Madrid, Riga and Rome Ciampino.

Ryanair has opened its third Greek base, in Athens, with the airline basing two aircraft at the location and operating six routes. The low-cost carrier hopes the base, it’s 65th in total, will deliver up to 1.2 million passengers per annum to Athens and sustain some 1,200 on-site jobs at Athens Airport, with up to 150 weekly flights.