DUBLIN, (Reuters) –European airlines face a difficult period from now to the end of this year because of renewed COVID-19 worries that could disrupt holiday travel in December and summer.

The possibility of another winter with harsh curbs across the continent has been raised by tighter restrictions in some countries as well as a lockdown in Austria that was reimposed – this is the first time in west Europe that vaccines have been rolled out.

The situation was great until the weekend. Volumes returned to pre-COVID levels at around 100%. “It has been interrupted by the Austrian lockdown, and there is renewed concern throughout Europe about a forth or firth-wave of COVID,” O’Leary stated at an online conference.

“I believe we are in for a turbulent period between now Christmas and Christmas, where it appears like Europe will get nervous again at the worst times of the year when people make their Christmas travel plans.”

“I believe it is inevitable that we will weaken confidence between now-Christmas, which will disrupt Christmas as well as unsettle people between New Year and Christmas when they would ordinarily start booking summer vacations.”

O’Leary stated earlier in the month that winter was going to be difficult, but that he believed that by keeping costs low and passengers high during that time Europe’s biggest low-cost airline would see a strong recovery.

On Tuesday, he reiterated that air fares would rise into 2022 summer and that the Irish airline hoped to return to pre-pandemic prices.