Speaking at the Airport Operators Association conference, chief executive Michael O’Leary said MPs had “no idea” how to successfully navigate the UK’s exit from the European Union and he likened Conservative ministers to characters from TV sitcom Dad’s Army for their “it’ll be all right Sergeant Jones” attitude.

O’Leary said that Ryanair had “already begun” moving capacity away from the UK market after Britain voted in favour of Brexit in June – a move he branded as a “deeply retrograde step” for the country.

He said Ryanair had cut its planned UK growth for 2017 by more than half – from 12% to between 5-6% - and would be looking to focus its efforts on growing business in Germany, Spain and central Europe.

“We have a more competitive market in Europe than the UK”, he said. “We will still grow in the UK but by half of what we were hoping to.

“We are a flexible airline and we don’t wait around…Ryanair doesn’t follow growth, growth follows Ryanair.”

O’Leary criticised politicians in Whitehall for slowing down the exiting process by “talking to themselves” and not holding enough discussions with their political counterparts in Brussels.

“They stand up in the Houses of Parliament [and say] ‘we’re going to do a good deal for Britain...Any idea what a good deal looks like? No, they haven’t a clue.

“I need to know by March next year what’s happening in Britain in March 2019…you can’t plan with that uncertainty,” he added.

Although when asked what Ryanair would do if its shift away from the UK was to fail O’Leary said: “If that’s the case then we will come charging back into the UK with low-cost deals.”