BRITS opting to go abroad next year are likely to pay a lot more for their flights, the boss of Ryanair has warned.
Chief executive Michael O’Leary said fares will be more expensive in 2022 due to a 25 per cent reduction in the number of available seats than before the pandemic due to airlines reducing their operations.
He told BBC Breakfast: "There’s no doubt in my mind that prices will rise, particularly during the peaks of the bank holiday weekends, the school holiday travel period.
“We will be urging people to book very early because I think there’s less seats and pricing will be higher.”
He claimed flights “will never be cheaper” than they are this year, as “all the airlines are running with much lower advanced bookings than we have ever had before because of the travel restrictions”.
He added: “This summer there are going to be great travel bargains.”
It follows comments from easyJet's Johan Lundgren who said that flights to green list destinations won't cost more this summer due to increased capacity.
Mr O’Leary made the comments as the ban on international leisure travel was lifted for people in Britain.
Airports across the UK have already seen long queues and big crowds as Brits head abroad for the first time this year.
With just four out of the 12 destinations on the green list welcoming Brits, the majority of travellers have been heading to Portugal which is expecting thousands to visit this week.
British Airways boss Sean Doyle told the BBC that passengers are already benefitting from a combination of “very competitive prices” and “great flexibility” for amending bookings.
“It’s kind of the best of both worlds today for travellers,” he said.
“There’s a lot of airlines out there competing for business, and we will always be competitive.”
However, popular holiday hotspots Spain, Greece and Italy are yet to be added to the green list, and instead are on the amber list which requires a 10-day home quarantine.
Boris Johnson has said he won't be adding any more destinations to the green list in a blow to millions of hopeful holidaymakers.
The Prime Minister said the government believes the Indian variant of Covid-19 poses "a real risk of disruption" and will remain cautious in the return of foreign travel.
And Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned Brits against travelling to amber destinations unless "absolutely necessary".
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