Ryanair says 6.2 million passengers booked seats with the airline in April, an increase of 17 per cent on the same month in 2009. The figure for the year to the end of April is 67.4 million.

This figure includes up to 1.2 million passengers affected by the volcanic ash crisis, which led to thousands of flights being cancelled across Europe last month.

The airline said it was still too early to say how many of these affected passengers travelled with Ryanair on alternative flights or how many cancelled their bookings.

Ryanair’s load factor in April was 83 per cent, one point higher than in April 2009.

Ryanair has also said it is to fly from Knock to Barcelona three times a week from May to October.