RYANAIR is expected to make an announcement next week over its winter operations from Bournemouth Airport.

Following a staff meeting yesterday afternoon with top-level bosses from the airline there is still uncertainty about the number of flights that will be running as part of the low-cost airline’s winter schedule from November 1.

After the meeting staff said an announcement was expected next week, on either Wednesday or Thursday, after a week of consultation.

Flights are still expected to take place from the airport but the Echo understands these may be reduced as part of cuts to Ryanair’s winter capacity at most of its airports around the UK.

The airline is the major operator at the airport and has two Boeing 737-800 planes based there.

A memo sent to pilots, cabin crew and agency staff on Tuesday said that ground and flight operations director David O’Brien, personnel manager Darrell Hughes and flight operations manager Peter Bellew would be at the meeting.

The talks with Ryanair staff at Bournemouth took place on a day when the airline announced it would be cutting the number of aircraft at their Dublin base from 14 to 12 and operating 850 flights a week as opposed to 1,000 last winter.

Last week the airline said they would be cutting winter capacity by 16 per cent at most of its UK airports except Leeds, Bradford and Edinburgh.

Stephen McNamara, head of communications at Ryanair, said: “Ryanair has a policy of not commenting on rumour or speculation or on our ongoing communications with our people.”

Discussions are still continuing between the airport and the airline concerning the winter schedule, although passengers still cannot book any flights out of Bournemouth after October.