Autumn bookings lift shares for Ryanair, EasyJet, and Aer Lingus owner

Ryanair said its bookings this autumn and for the Christmas holidays were ahead of pre-Covid levels

European airline shares have continued to have a torrid time as fuel costs rose and the inflation crisis has raised doubts about household spending on winter and summer holidays. File picture

Ryanair, EasyJet and IAG — the owner of Aer Lingus and British Airways — have said demand for travel was holding up, calming worries that pressure on household budgets could stall recovery from the pandemic.

Shares in IAG jumped 7% after an unscheduled announcement to report better-than-expected profit for its summer quarter and a confident outlook. IAG, which also owns Iberia and Vueling airlines, said forward bookings remain at expected levels for this time of year "with no indication of weakness".