CALLS ON GOVT TO SCRAP CIAMPINO FLIGHT CAP, FREEZE FEES & ABOLISH MUNICIPAL TAX TO GROW ROME TRAFFIC/TOURISM/JOBS

Ryanair, Italy’s No.1 airline, today (Tue, 30 Sept) announced that it will reduce its Rome-based aircraft by 1 unit (from 17 to 16 aircraft) for W25 and will deliver zero traffic growth in Rome this winter. This is due to the artificial flight cap at Ciampino (just 65 flights per day), AdR’s inflation busting airport fee rises (Ciampino +44% & Fiumicino +15% by 2028), and the Govt’s harmful decision to increase the Municipal Tax at Rome’s airports from Apr ‘25 – which are already far higher than other Italian airports.

Ryanair continues to invest and grow traffic & tourism elsewhere in Italy, offering lower fares than any other airline, but the Govt continues to harm Rome’s traffic, tourism, and jobs growth with its expensive Municipal Tax, at a time when other EU countries like Sweden, Hungary, Albania, and some Italian regions, have abolished aviation taxes, and reduced airport fees to grow their traffic and tourism.

To grow Rome traffic/tourism, Ryanair calls on the Italian Govt to immediately abolish Ciampino’s artificial daily flight cap of 65 flights (just 4 per hour) and scrap the Municipal Tax at all Italian airports – follow the lead of Abruzzo, Calabria, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trapani who scrapped these taxes in 2025 to release growth – and urges AdR to cut its excessive Rome airport fees to make Italy competitive again and drive traffic growth. If these taxes are scrapped and AdR high fees cut, Ryanair will respond with a $4bn investment in Italy, adding 40 new aircraft, over 20m new passengers p.a., 250 new routes and 1,500 additional jobs in Italy’s regions, boosting tourism, jobs, and economic growth nationwide.

Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary said:

“Rome’s high access costs, incl. the harmful Municipal Tax, and (way above inflation) airport fee increases (+44% in Ciampino, +15% in Fiumicino), together with the artificial Ciampino flights cap, have forced Ryanair to reduce one Rome-based aircraft for Winter ’25, which means zero traffic growth in Rome this winter.

While Ryanair continues to grow elsewhere in Italy offering Europe’s lowest fares, these harmful tax and fee policies make Rome uncompetitive compared to competitor EU markets like Sweden, Hungary, Albania, and many Italian regions, all of whom have scrapped aviation taxes and lowered airport fees to unlock traffic growth.

Ryanair calls on the Govt to urgently scrap the artificial Ciampino daily flight cap (just 2 return flights per hours!), and abolish the harmful Municipal Tax at all Italian airports like other EU States including Sweden, Hungary, Slovakia & Albania already have. Ryanair also calls on Aeroporti di Roma to reduce their high airport fees in Ciampino and Fiumicino so that Rome’s traffic, tourism, and jobs can grow.

These measures would enable Rome’s airports to enjoy rapid traffic, tourism, and jobs growth in the coming years as Ryanair will respond with a $4bn investment in Italy, adding 40 new aircraft, over 20m passengers p.a. across 250 new routes and 1,500 more Ryanair jobs in Italy’s regions.”