INCREASED AVIATION TAX DOES NOT “HELP” BELGIUM’S ECONOMY, BUT DAMAGES IT

Following the Federal Parliament’s vote on 18 July, Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Thurs, 31 July) called on the new Govt to reverse its idiotic decision to increase Belgium’s Aviation Tax to €5 per departing passenger, meaning that ordinary Belgian passengers will now be forced to pay up to 150% more in Aviation Tax. This increased tax will apply retrospectively to all flights departing from 29 July, hitting passengers with unexpected extra costs.

This excessive tax hike, coupled with Brussels Zaventem’s already ludicrously high airport charges (which have risen 20+% since Covid), shows Brussels Zaventem to be the worst performing airport in Belgium and has yet to recover fully, operating at 89% of its pre-Covid traffic levels. This tax will cause significant damage to Belgium’s connectivity, traffic, jobs, and economy, by making Belgium completely uncompetitive compared to other EU States, like Hungary, Sweden, and regional Italy, where Govt’s are actively lowering or abolishing Aviation Taxes to stimulate traffic recovery and economic growth.

A Ryanair spokesperson said:

“It is incredibly disappointing that the new Govt have voted to penalise ordinary passengers by increasing the Aviation Tax by a staggering 150%. And to what end? Hiking up Aviation Taxes won’t fix the economy – lowering Aviation Taxes to stimulate connectivity, traffic and job growth will. The Belgian Govt only have to look as far as Hungary, Sweden, and regional Italy, where Govts are actively abolishing Aviation Taxes and cutting airport charges to stimulate traffic recovery and economic growth. Zaventem is only 89% recovered from pre-Covid levels, and this tax will make recovery even more difficult as the main airport will be hopelessly uncompetitive compared with other European airports.

Brussels is the “heart of Europe” but needs affordable connectivity with the rest of Europe to survive. To make matters worse, this tax hike is being applied retrospectively to flights from 29 July, hitting passengers with unexpected extra costs. We hope that the new Govt will realise the damage that this excessive Aviation Tax hike will cause to Belgium’s connectivity, traffic, jobs, and economy, and immediately reverse this short-sighted decision.”