Ryanair passengers will be forced to pay an extra EUR2 levy on all bookings from 4 April as the low-cost airline looks to cover the cost of cancellations and delays.

The carrier said that the additional charge would fund the cost of cancellation, delays and its EU261 costs in "force majeure" cases where third parties are at fault. Ryanair spokesperson Stephen McNamara said: "When the EU261 regulations were first introduced, airlines were assured that they could recover the cost of these cancellations and delays from those parties who caused them.

"However, the airlines have no right of recovery from governments - when they close airspace; air traffic control unions - when they repeatedly walk off the job; or airports - who can't even clear snow off their runways."