Ryanair carried 10.2 million passengers in November on a load factor of 86%, up from just two million during the same period last year on a load factor of 62%.

Wizz Air, meanwhile, carried 2.17 million passengers in November on a load factor of 76.1%, up from 457,000 in 2020 when load factor was 68.2%.

For Ryanair, it marks the fifth consecutive month in which it has delivered a load factor in excess of 80%, rising from 81% in September to 84% in October and 86% in November.

November was also the fourth consecutive month in which Ryanair’s passenger numbers topped 10 million. Its 2021 passenger numbers peaked in October at 11.3 million.

By comparison, Wizz’s November load factor of 76.1% is the lowest it has posted since the resumption of international travel in May, suggesting demand in November ultimately failed to match the carrier’s expectations.

The outlook from both carriers, though, captures the period almost immediately preceding the emergence of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 when travel enjoyed a period of relative calm after a year and a half of significant Covid disruption.

Omicron has seen the UK government, as well as authorities across Ryanair and Wizz’s European markets, reintroduce various travel curbs to guard against the spread of Omicron, which are likely to impact December passenger carryings.