Hello, I wanted to buy a flight from STN to NAP during the course of the Xmas break. I noticed however that the flights seem very sparse, just three times a week from November (while in October there are daily flights). Is this perhaps because the UK winter flight schedule has not been published yet? If so does anybody know when it get published?

Welcome to FlyerTalk kitesencula, it�s good to see you here. I suspect that flights have been cut back for the winter season, I think it unlikely that FR will schedule any further flights over that period given we are already in May.

You have spotted the switchover from the summer to the winter timetable. The winter timetable runs from the end of October to the end of March (corresponding to the observance of winter time in Europe), and as you have seen is already on sale.

You are making the mistake of assuming that Ryanair operates all routes at peak/summer frequency all year round: 3 times a week is the winter frequency, with no flight on Christmas Day. It seems that 5 flights were originally planned, but the second daily flight on those days where 2 are listed is now showing as consistently sold out, which I expect means that they have removed it from sale rather than being consistently sold out on every date throughout the winter.

It is possible, though unlikely, that they will add additional frequencies and/or change the times/dates of the currently scheduled flights.

Have you considered flying instead with Easyjet from Gatwick? With the exception of Christmas Day, there are either 1 or 2 daily flights for the period between Christmas and New Year. Ryanair from STN to Rome Ciampino is another option (with either 1, 2 or 3 daily flights, again with the exception of Christmas Day)

There are very few UK airports flying to FAO (Faro, Portugal) for FR this winter. Like the OP, I was assuming maybe the winter schedules hadn't been fully loaded as I thought previously this was a year-round route for more than just STN and MAN. Maybe I'm wrong or they are reducing the number of routes for this year/winter.

FR is suffering from postponed delivery of aircrafts and had to cut frequency on several routes. May also affect NW23/24

Useful info - thanks