Ryanair has announced further reductions in its flight capacity due to coronavirus travel restrictions and the "mismanagement of Covid travel policies."
The budget airline said its capacity in October will be 40 per cent of 2019 levels, compared with the 50% it previously announced.
The firm said it expects to fill 70 per cent of seats on its planes, citing damaged customer confidence and "defective" 14-day quarantines as contributing factors.
A Ryanair spokesperson said: “We are disappointed to reduce our October capacity from 50 per cent of 2019 to 40 per cent.
“However, as customer confidence is damaged by government mismanagement of Covid travel policies, many Ryanair customers are unable to travel for business or urgent family reasons without being subjected to defective 14-day quarantines.
“While it is too early yet to make final decisions on our winter schedule (from November to March), if current trends and EU governments’ mismanagement of the return of air travel and normal economic activity continue, then similar capacity cuts may be required across the winter period.”
Ryanair called on the Irish government to halt its “excessive and defective travel restrictions”, which include 14 days of self-isolation for arrivals.
READ MORE: Slovenia and Guadeloupe added to Scotland’s quarantine list
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan “has kept Ireland locked up like North Korea since July 1”, the airline claimed.
The Scottish Government announced on Thursday that Slovenia and Guadeloupe have been added to the quarantine list for Scotland – while Singapore and Thailand are being removed.
The changes come into effect at 4am on Saturday, meaning from then people entering Scotland from Slovenia and Guadeloupe must self-isolate for 14 days on arrival.
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