Ryanair has confirmed it will reduce October capacity by a further 20 per cent, in addition to cuts already announced in August.

The low-cost carrier now hopes to offer around 40 per cent of capacity seen during the same month last year.

The airline, however, hopes to achieve a load factor of 70 per cent or more on those flights that do operate.

Ryanair said the latest cuts were due to “continuous changes” in government travel restrictions across the European Union.

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-19 travel policies, many Ryanair customers are unable to travel for business or urgent family reasons without being subjected to defective 14-day quarantines.”

The spokesperson added: “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.”