The globally increasing number of infections is forcing Ryanair to adjust the winter flight schedule again. The low-cost plane reduced the winter capacity again, this time to only 40 percent compared to the previous year.

The increased flight restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic are having an effect. Ticket bookings for November and December in particular would suffer as a result. Therefore one has to trim the flight plan further and reduce the frequencies. "In addition to closing the bases in Cork, Shannon and Toulouse for the winter, Ryanair has announced significant reductions in aircraft at the bases in Belgium, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Vienna," it said on Thursday.

Under these circumstances, the low-coster expects around 38 million passengers in the current fiscal year by the end of March. "Although this forecast could be revised further downwards if the EU governments continue to organize air traffic poorly and order more 'lockdowns' this winter," said Michael O'Leary.