Did you know that Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair owns multiple other airlines? Love them or hate them, there is no denying that after taking inspiration from Southwest Airlines' business model, Ryanair is now a powerhouse for European travel.

Ryanair Group now consists of five airlines - primary airline Ryanair, Polish carrier Buzz, Maltese airlines Lauda Europe and Malta Air, and Ryanair UK. Let's take a look at Ryanair's subsidiaries and how they are doing today.

Buzz

In April 2003, Ryanair swooped for a low-cost airline called Buzz, which KLM had set up to directly compete with Ireland's Ryanair and United Kingdom low-cost carrier easyJet. Operating primarily on point-to-point business routes rather than leisure destinations, Buzz had several slots that Ryanair wanted.

When Ryanair purchased Buzz for around €20m ($21.8m), the no-frills airline got the coveted slots at London Stansted Airport (STN) that it was after. Ryanair rebranded the airline Buzz Stansted to save money and continued flying its old KLM routes until ceasing operations on October 31, 2004. When it stopped operations, Buzz had a fleet of eight Boeing 737s and 10 BAe 146s.

A Buzz 737 MAX flying in the sky.
Photo: Nicolas Economou / Shutterstock

However, this was not the end of Buzz. Over a decade later, in 2019, Ryanair revived the brand under Ryanair Sun. The new airline aimed to provide Eastern Europeans with direct flights to summer Mediterranean holiday destinations.

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As of August 2023, Buzz operates with a fleet of over 60 aircraft, including 50 Boeing 737-800s and 13 Boeing 737 MAX 8200s. The airline operates charter flights to holiday destinations from its bases in Eastern Europe, as well as scheduled flights within Ryanair's network.

Lauda Europe

In 2018, Ryanair increased its overseas interests by buying Vienna-based Laudamotion, later renamed Lauda. Originally the brainchild of former Formula One driver Niki Lauda, the airline folded along with its parent company, Air Berlin, in 2017.

A Laudamotion Airbus A321 flying in the sky.
Photo: Marvin Mutz via Wikipedia

Ryanair would eventually acquire a controlling stake in the airline at the cost of around €100m ($109m). Following its takeover, Lauda was plagued with employee relation problems, with staff arguing that Ryanair had to respect Austrian labor laws, not Irish ones. The carrier's nine-strong fleet of Airbus A320s grew quickly, and there were even plans to acquire up to 100 Airbus A321neos before the COVID pandemic.

However, in November 2020, Ryanair transferred all of Lauda's assets to a new Maltese-based entity called Lauda Europe. Bucking the trend at Ryanair, Lauda Europe operates with an all-Airbus A320 fleet - currently flying with 28 of the type - after Ryanair decided to extend the leases of these aircraft until 2028.

Malta Air

In June 2019, Ryanair announced it would establish a new low-cost airline on the Mediterranean island called Malta Air in partnership with the Maltese government.

A Malta Air Boeing 737 MAX taxiing to the gate.
Photo: Markus Mainka / Shutterstock

Initially, the fleet would comprise ten aircraft flying Ryanair's current schedule out of Malta International Airport (MLA). However, the carrier has grown to become the second-largest in the Ryanair Group portfolio (behind Ryanair), operating around a quarter of all the group's flights in 2022. Its fleet now boasts over 160 aircraft (all Boeing 737s) and serves Ryanair routes from its bases in Italy, Germany, and France, among others.

Ryanair UK

Ryanair UK was established by the Ryanair Group and commenced operations from Stansted Airport in 2019 with just a solitary aircraft. The UK-registered airline was set up as a precaution should the United Kingdom leave the European Union without a formal agreement (Hard Brexit).

A Ryanair UK plane parked at Stansted Airport.
Photo: Adam Loader / Shutterstock

It is the smallest of Ryanair's subsidiaries, operating between 2-3% of the group's flights - and currently has 13 Boeing 737s under its command. Ryanair UK serves routes out of Manchester Airport and Edinburgh Airport along with its Stansted base.

How do you feel about Ryanair? Are there any airlines you think Ryanair Group should acquire? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments.

  • Ryanair Boeing 737
    Ryanair
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    FR/RYR
    Airline Type:
    Low-Cost Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Dublin Airport, London Stansted Airport, Milan Bergamo Airport
    Year Founded:
    1985
    Airline Group:
    Ryanair Group
    CEO:
    Eddie Wilson
    Country:
    Ireland
  • shutterstock_2152426269
    Malta Air
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    AL/MAY
    Airline Type:
    Low-Cost Carrier
    Year Founded:
    2019
    Airline Group:
    Ryanair Group
    CEO:
    David O’Brien
    Country:
    Malta
  • Buzz Tile
    Buzz
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    RR/RYS
    Airline Type:
    Low-Cost Carrier
    Year Founded:
    2018
    Airline Group:
    Ryanair Group
    CEO:
    Michal Kaczmarzyk
    Country:
    Poland
    Region:
    Europe
  • shutterstock_2301531225
    Lauda Europe
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    LW/LDA
    Airline Type:
    Low-Cost Carrier
    Year Founded:
    2020
    Airline Group:
    Ryanair Group
    CEO:
    David O’Brien
    Country:
    Malta
  • shutterstock_2218063157
    Ryanair UK
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    RK/RUK
    Airline Type:
    Low-Cost Carrier
    Year Founded:
    2019
    Airline Group:
    Ryanair Group
    CEO:
    Eddie Wilson
    Country:
    United Kingdom