Ryanair flies just 500,000 people in February as travel restrictions continue
Irish carrier Ryanair flew just 500,000 people in February as widespread coronavirus restrictions all but ended air travel.
In the same month last year the airline carried 10.5m passengers, but over the last 12 months the pandemic has totally reshaped the aviation industry.
Since last March, when the pandemic hit Europe, the airline has flown just 32m passengers, down from over 150m passengers at the same time last year.
Last month Ryanair said that the “most challenging year in its history” had sent it spiralling to a €306m (£222.6m) loss.
As planned, the airline flew just six per cent of its normal schedule in February.
Fellow budget carrier Wizz Air fared little better, with passenger numbers down 87 per cent last month.
The Hungarian flier carried 380,000 passengers in February, down from the 3.1m it flew the year before.
In total, passenger numbers are down 72.1 per cent for the past 12 months.
Despite the continued downturn, Wizz said that it had continued its expansion in February, announcing two new bases.