Leinster Rugby will have to fly to some away games from Belfast due to the passenger cap at Dublin Airport, Ryanair has said. The Dublin-based team plans to fly from Belfast International Airport for four games later in the season unless the situation is resolved.

Leinster could yet travel to away games in Bristol and La Rochelle via Belfast and not Dublin this season, owing to Ryanair’s dispute with the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA). Leo Cullen’s side began their campaign on Friday night last with a 33-31 win over Edinburgh in the United Rugby Championship and with the fixtures coming thick and fast,

Ryanair has arranged to fly the Leinster Rugby team to its European fixtures this season from Belfast instead of Dublin Airport, the airline said on Monday, amid an ongoing farrago over the annual passenger cap at the aviation hub.

Ryanair has said it has reached an agreement with Leinster Rugby to use Belfast International Airport for away match flights over a row linked to additional winter slots at Dublin Airport. The budget carrier has claimed the extra slots at Dublin Airport normally allocated for the winter flights by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA),