Ryanair has reported a third-quarter profit after tax (PAT) of €211m (£185m), after a busy Christmas period.

The figure, for the three months to the end of December 2022, compares to a PAT in the same quarter of 2020 of €88m. 

The carrier said it saw strong pent-up travel demand over the October half term and peak Christmas/New Year holiday season.

Ryanair said: “While bookings continue to be closer-in than in spring 2020 (pre-COVID), we have reasonable visibility for the remainder of FY23, with FY traffic guided at 168m. 

However, Ryanair expects the fourth quarter to be loss making due to the absence of Easter from March. 

It has raised its profit outlook for the year to a range of €1.325bn (£1.16bn) to €1.425bn (£1.25bn) as it boosted sales by 57pc to €2.31bn (£2bn) in the final three months of last year.

“This guidance remains heavily dependent upon avoiding adverse events in Q4 (such as COVID and/or the war in Ukraine),” it added.