Ryanair flew more than 18 million passengers in a month for the first time ever in July.
The Irish low fares carrier operated more than 102,000 flights in the month as the summer holiday period got underway.
But it was forced to cancel more than 800 due to strikes by air traffic controllers and a national walkout in Italy.
The record 18.7 million passenger carryings came as numbers rose by 11% from 16.8 million in July last year with the load factor static at 96%.
The record volumes gave Ryanair a rolling annual total of 175.3 million passengers, a year-on-year rise of 23%.
Meanwhile, smaller budget rival Wizz Air achieved a 27% increase in passenger numbers to six million with a load factor of almost 95%.
The eastern and central European carrier, condemned last week by the Civil Aviation Authority over passenger complaints about delayed and cancelled flights, expanded its fleet at Luton airport to 12 aircraft in July./
Wizz Air is due to issue financial results for the last quarter tomorrow (Thursday).