Ryanair Signs ‘Groundbreaking’ Corporate Travel Agreement

Summary

• Ryanair partners with SAP Concur to offer affordable corporate travel, featuring low fares and a wide network of destinations.
• The deal will bring significant efficiencies to corporate customers, including automated expense management and streamlined booking processes.
• The agreement aims to attract business travelers and tap into a market that Ryanair is not typically associated with.

Ryanair has announced a new corporate travel agreement with travel and expense company SAP Concur. The deal will see Ryanair’s entire network integrated into Concur Travel, a leading corporate booking platform.

Ryanair seals corporate booking deal

Corporate firms will now be able to access cheap fares from the Irish budget carrier via Concur Travel, an online booking tool from SAP Concur. Ryanair’s extensive network of over 230 destinations – which includes popular city pairings and optimally-timed morning and evening flights – will be ideal for businesses looking for affordable travel for their employees.

Dara Brady, Director of Marketing and Digital at Ryanair, said,

“We are pleased to announce our exciting new partnership with SAP Concur, which will enable corporates to access Ryanair’s low fares and industry-leading network of 3,300 daily flights across over 230 destinations. Our low fares and high-frequency schedules cater perfectly for business travel, saving money and time for businesses.”

Ryanair fares will gradually be available on SAP Concur’s platform over the next 12 months. According to SAP Concur, it has over 46,000 customers across its full portfolio of solutions.

Ryanair was recently named the world’s largest airline by market capitalization, valued at a whopping $29.63 billion. The ULCC – a favorite with leisure passengers looking to travel on the cheap – will now hope to attract a market it is not typically associated with in business travel.

Efficient corporate travel

Corporate customers who book through Concur Travel will benefit from “significant efficiencies” through this direct connect deal. This includes automated expense management and feeds into SAP Concur’s other products, while registered customers won’t need to complete Ryanair’s online verification process every time.

Paul Dear, Regional VP Supplier Services EMEA at SAP Concur, added,

“These agreements show the Ryanair commitment to business travellers and corporate travel managers. We look forward to a long and successful relationship that delivers real value to the corporate travel community.”

It will also include a dedicated Concur TripLink booking flow through Ryanair’s official website and app – TripLink gives travel managers full visibility across booking channels and connects travel itineraries across channels for a fully optimized experience.

Business demand to return?

The COVID pandemic had a devastating impact on all passenger-related aviation metrics, but nowhere was this felt worse than in corporate travel demand. While only making up around 12% of passenger numbers pre-pandemic, business travel accounted for a huge chunk of the industry’s profits, as business passengers pay top dollar for premium seating and perks.

Although regular passenger traffic eventually recovered, corporate travel continues to lag behind its pre-pandemic figures. Some believe it may never (or not in the near future, at least) get back to what it was, particularly in the age of remote work, virtual meetings and sustainability targets. American Airlines appears to be in this camp, having downsized its corporate travel team earlier this year amid a continued slump in business revenue.

What do you make of Ryanair’s new corporate travel agreement? Let us know in the comment section.

• 

  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