Jobs and air routes face the axe. Ryanair to cut Belgian operations if Brussels doubles aviation taxes.
Ryanair to slash Belgium operation if taxes are doubled
European low cost carrier Ryanair has reiterated its intention to cut up to one million seats and move 20 routes from its Belgian Winter 26/27 schedule if the federal government in Brussels’ restated intention to hike aviation taxes goes ahead. Five of the airline’s aircraft based at Charleroi Airport could be withdrawn by Ryanair in such a scenario, as well the loss of over a hundred jobs at Charleroi airport alone.
The federal government in Brussels recently affirmed its decision to double its aviation tax to €10 per departing passenger from 2027. The tax applies on flights exceeding 500km.
“The only variable cost is access costs: government taxes, airport charges and handling fees,” said Ryanair DAC chief executive Eddie Wilson. “We are not going to add capacity in airports, regions or countries where those costs are increasing.”
Ryanair had warned back in December that significant increase to access costs would make Belgium completely uncompetitive compared to other markets like Sweden, Hungary, Italy, and Slovakia, where government were abolishing aviation taxes to drive traffic, tourism, and jobs.
Ryanair has since been lobbying Belgium’s prime minister De Wever, transport minister Crucke, Wallonia minister of airports, Cécile Neven, and the mayor of Charleroi, Thomas Dermine, calling for the reversal of the proposed aviation tax increases.
Charleroi is one of Ryanair’s larger bases, built up by the airline over 30 years and CEO Michael O’Leary told media that Ryanair would not completely close its base there, but did confirm that 20 routes would be scrapped, 15 at Charleroi and five at Zaventem representing a potential loss of two million passengers per year.