Ryanair CEO warns of European airline failures if jet fuel price stays high

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary warned that the Iran conflict and higher jet fuel prices threaten the viability of European airlines, saying sustained high fuel costs could trigger airline failures. The comments are a negative signal for the European travel sector and could weigh on the Europe 50 index and airline equities, potentially prompting capacity cuts, higher fares and increased volatility across regional markets. Investors may reprice airline risk exposure until oil/jet-fuel prices and geopolitical tensions ease.