- Quote: ‘These capacity cuts and frequency reductions for September and October are unavoidable – given the recent weakness in forward bookings – due to Covid restrictions in a number of EU countries’.
By Andrew Atkinson Exclusive Breaking News
Ryanair will slash its flight capacity by 20% in September and October after forward bookings weakened, amid the spike in coronavirus and the UK 14 days isolation imposed in July on travellers returning to Britain from Spain.
A drop-off in flight bookings – driven by uncertainty over recent Covid case rates in some EU countries – has played a significant part of the decision.
The cuts will reduce the frequency of flights including Spain, France and Sweden, after travel restrictions increased, due to rising Covid-19 case rates.
Airports affected by the decision have not been named at present, with Ryanair flights to Alicante-Elche airport having continued, in the midst of other airlines cancellation flights to Spain.
A Ryanair spokesman said: “These capacity cuts and frequency reductions for the months of September and October are unavoidable – given the recent weakness in forward bookings – due to Covid restrictions in a number of EU countries.
“Any affected passengers in September received email notification on August 17 advising them of their options.
“Similar communications will be issued to the small number of affected passengers in October.
“Over the past two weeks as a number of EU countries have raised travel restrictions, forward bookings especially for business travel into September and October, have been negatively affected, and it makes sense to reduce frequencies so that we tailor our capacity to demand over the next two months.”
