Michael O’Leary, the long-time CEO of Ryanair, has not yet received the 150 million euros in potential future compensation outlined in his new contract. This amount is tied to financial and stock market performance targets, not an immediate payment. O’Leary has faced criticism from some shareholders, but he has defended the terms of his contract, while also warning that rising fuel costs could lead to higher airfares in the summer of 2027. In a vote on September 10, 60.7% of shareholders approved the new compensation policy, while 39.3% opposed it. This means the policy was accepted, but not without resistance. Some shareholders reportedly criticized O’Leary, with one report stating he told them to “grow a bit” in response to their concerns. The contract, signed in June, extends his leadership at Ryanair until March 2032, well beyond his previous term, which was set to end in 2028. The compensation package includes an option for O’Leary to purchase 10 million Ryanair shares at a fixed price of 26.70 euros each. However, this option is conditional: it will only be fully available if the company achieves either 4 billion euros in post-tax profit by 2031-2032 or if the share price reaches 42 euros for 28 consecutive days. Additionally, O’Leary must remain employed with Ryanair until March 31, 2032. If the company hits certain profit thresholds before that, he may be able to purchase a partial share of the options. For the fiscal year ending March 2026, Ryanair reported post-tax profits of 2.26 billion euros, after transporting 208.4 million passengers. However, recent financial results show some challenges. In the quarter ending June 2026, average fares fell by 6%, and profits dropped by 34% to 538 million euros, despite a 6% increase in passenger traffic. The company says it has covered 80% of its fuel needs for the fiscal year ending March 2027, but higher fuel costs could still impact its bottom line as summer 2027 approaches. O’Leary has warned that airfares could rise by 10 to 20% in the summer of 2027 due to higher fuel prices. However, this is not a fixed increase and depends on factors like market demand and the number of available seats. He also noted that if jet fuel prices remain high for five years, the cost of a barrel could rise from around 50 euros to 80 or 90 euros. Ryanair expects to carry 216 million passengers in the 2026-2027 fiscal year and plans to introduce its first Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft in spring 2027, pending manufacturer certification and delivery.