Ryanair is laying on extra domestic flights once lockdown in England ends to help university students get hone for Christmas.

The no-frills airline is opening a new Stansted-Edinburgh route initially with two flights a week between December 4 and January 8.

Ryanair will also be running two flights a week between Stansted and Belfast, four a week between Liverpool and Derry and three a week between Edinburgh and the Northern Ireland city.

Fares are being offered at £19.99 one-way across the four routes in a sale which runs until midnight tonight (Monday).

The deal is being promoted to help students travel home and return to universities in the new year.

It follows the government confirming a ‘student travel window’ between December 3-9 to allow travel home from university once lockdown in England ends on December 2.

A Ryanair spokeswoman said: “We welcome this ‘travel window’ guidance which allows students the opportunity to fly home to their families and friends, in advance of the busy Christmas travel rush.”