What airline did Ryanair buy?

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.



Ryanair Holdings operates as a group of airlines rather than a single carrier, and its most significant "buy" was the acquisition of Lauda (originally Laudamotion) from the estate of Niki Lauda, which was finalized in early 2019. This allowed the group to establish a major presence in Austria and Germany. In 2026, the Ryanair Group consists of five distinct "sister" airlines: Ryanair DAC (the original Irish carrier), Buzz (Poland), Malta Air (Malta), Lauda Europe (the successor to the Austrian purchase), and Ryanair UK. While there were frequent rumors in 2025 regarding a potential bid for a struggling Italian or Portuguese carrier to expand its southern European footprint, Ryanair has largely focused on organic growth through its existing subsidiaries. For example, Buzz has recently announced record expansions in Katowice for the summer 2026 season. By operating these multiple brands, Ryanair can tailor its marketing and labor agreements to specific regional markets while maintaining the ultra-low-cost efficiency of its unified Boeing 737 fleet.

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In April 2003, Ryanair acquired its ailing competitor Buzz from KLM. During 2004, Michael O'Leary warned of a bloodbath during the winter from which only two or three low-cost airlines would emerge, the expectation is that these would be Ryanair and EasyJet.

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It currently owns nearly all the planes in its fleet, unlike EasyJet and Wizz Air which lease much of what they fly. As O'Leary pointed out, leasing costs are rising in tandem with interest rates.

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Ryanair's low fares are a result of clever cost-cutting tactics, such as eliminating in-flight amenities, using cheaper secondary airports, and charging for extras like drinks and snacks.

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Ryanair Holdings Plc is an Irish low-cost airline group headquartered in Swords, Dublin, Ireland.

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One major source of the airline's poor reputation is its ticketing policies. Ryanair often charges large, unexpected fees for changing or cancelling flights, and even for printing boarding passes. They also have very strict policies on luggage allowance and size, which can be confusing or expensive to manage.

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Formed in January 2011, IAG is the parent company of Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and Vueling. It is a Spanish registered company with shares traded on the London Stock Exchange and Spanish Stock Exchanges. The corporate head office for IAG is in London, UK.

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Will Ryanair ever get Airbus? But O'Leary insisted, “We've got more than enough aircraft in the order book. And indeed, we've extended the A320 leases out to 2028.” His message to Boeing and Airbus though, is that Ryanair is always willing to buy “at the right price.”

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Ryanair's new routes for 2023
  • Brussels (Belgium) to Asturias (Spain), Lodz (Poland) and Nantes (France).
  • Cluj (Romania) to Brussels, Dublin (Ireland), Milan Bergamo (Italy) and Paris Beauvais (France).
  • Edinburgh (UK) to Cornwall (UK).
  • Düsseldorf (Germany) to Asturias, Milan Bergamo, Pula (Croatia) and Reus (Spain).


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