Ryanair has warned on profits for the year, attributing the weaker performance to the impact of strike action and rising fuel prices.

The budget Irish airline said full-year profits will be down 12 percent.

It now expects profits to fall within the range of between €1.1 billion and €1.2 billion, down from the previously forecast €1.25 billion-€1.35 billion.

The company said that pilot and cabin crew strikes in September had particularly affected profits, proving a deterrent for customers booking future flights.

Moreover, Ryanair said that rising oil prices had also continued to add to profit pressure across the period.

Earlier this month, Ryanair pilots across Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Belgium announced plans to coordinate strike action for 24 hours.

The action led to the airline cancelling as many as 250 flights, affecting some 40,000 customers.

Chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said: “While we successfully managed five strikes by 25% of our Irish pilots this summer, two recent co-ordinated strikes by cabin crew and pilots across five EU countries has affected passenger numbers (through flight cancellations), bookings and yields (as we re-accommodate disrupted passengers), and forward air fares into Q3.

“While we regret these disruptions, we have on both strike days operated over 90% of our schedule.

“However, customer confidence, forward bookings and Q3 fares have been affected, most notably over the October school midterms and Christmas, in those five countries where unnecessary strikes have been repeated.”

The airline said that it has taking the decision to close certain routes and bases, in a bid to slim down costs.

It said that its Eindhoven base in the Netherlands will close, however routes to the location will continue.

This is also the case at its base in Germany, amid cuts at its Niederrhein base.

Shares in Ryanair (LON:RYA) are currently trading -8.73 percent as of 10.29 AM (GMT).