Ryanair has criticised Andy Burnham over aviation taxes as the airline announced a major expansion at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. The airline's Chief Marketing Officer spoke with the ECHO on Thursday, September 24, and said the current government should look to European counterparts and follow their example.
Speaking as Ryanair unveiled plans to base a sixth aircraft at Liverpool for winter 2026, the airline said the UK was moving in the opposite direction to countries including Sweden and Slovakia.
Ryanair's criticism of APD
Ryanair's CMO Dara Brady told the ECHO: "Quite simply, Andy Burnham has to look across counterparts in Europe and places like Slovakia and Sweden who are cutting taxes. Andy Burnham's government is doing the opposite."
The airline was referring to Air Passenger Duty (APD), a government-set departure tax charged on flights leaving airports in the United Kingdom. Dara added: "They're taking an APD passenger charge and going from 13 euros to 15 euros. All taxation does is kill tourism, kill growth and kill investment for airlines.
"Andy Burnham has to really take a look now. He's got a passenger tax, and he's got a double taxation in the UK, which is where visitor taxes are applied by the local regions, and these two taxes are now going to drive up costs, and it's going to kill tourism growth.
"We've been operating here since 1988, and we have a great relationship with the airport. They work incredibly hard to keep costs down despite the government's best efforts to drive up the costs by introducing double taxation on passengers.
"The airport does a great job here in Liverpool, and the people of the North West, Liverpool, and the surrounding areas love low fares and can't get enough of them. We are happy to continue to support that and keep growing here."
Expansion and new routes
The comments came as Ryanair announced a significant expansion in Liverpool. The airline said it will invest US$600 million (£453 million) in the Northwest by basing an additional Boeing aircraft at Liverpool John Lennon Airport for winter 2026.
The sixth aircraft is expected to add more than 100,000 seats and support six new routes to Milan Bergamo, Copenhagen, Gdansk, Porto, Tirana and Warsaw. Frequencies will also increase on three existing routes to Krakow, Kaunas and Cork.
To celebrate Ryanair's sixth aircraft and new routes at Liverpool in Winter 2026, the airline has launched a limited-time seat sale with fares from £29.99 available only at Ryanair.com.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport's CEO, John Irving said: "Liverpool John Lennon Airport is delighted that Ryanair will operate a sixth based aircraft through the winter season.
"This additional growth will allow passengers from across the Northwest and North Wales to use the region's Faster. Easier. Friendlier Airport."
