Ryanair has announced the reduction of flights to France following a 180% increase in aviation taxes, with further cuts threatened if taxes continue to rise. The budget airline has already scaled back operations in several European countries, citing excessive fees and surcharges.
In France, the airline's chief executive Michael O'Leary warned that capacity to and from the country could be reduced further if taxes increase. France is already considered a high-tax country, and the recent hike has prompted Ryanair to reassess its routes.
Earlier, Ryanair cut 12 routes to Spain, removing 800,000 seats this summer, and ceased operations at Jerez and Valladolid airports. Other Spanish airports, including Vigo, Santiago, Zaragoza, Asturias, and Santander, will see reduced flights. In Italy, one Rome-based aircraft will be removed from Leonardo da Vinci International Airport due to increased municipal surcharges from April.
Germany will lose routes from Dortmund, Dresden, and Leipzig, with Hamburg flights also reduced, totaling 22 routes cut. In Denmark, Ryanair will close its two-aircraft base at Billund airport and axe all routes to and from Aalborg by the end of March, affecting 32 routes.
While flights to Austria have not been cut, Ryanair is shifting focus to airports with lower fees, such as Linz and Salzburg, and warned that Vienna ticket prices have already risen. The airline has called on European governments to scrap aviation taxes and traffic caps, and to reduce air traffic control fees.
