CALLS ON ESTONIAN GOVT TO REDUCE ACCESS COSTS TO GROW TRAFFIC & TOURISM

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Wed, 8 Oct) announced it will reduce its Tallinn Winter ‘25 capacity by 40%, resulting in the loss of 110,000 seats and 5 international routes – Milan Bergamo, Paphos, Rome Ciampino, Venice Treviso, and Vienna – on top of the 45% capacity cut (-230,000 seats) already announced to Tallinn’s Summer ’25 schedule. These cuts are the direct results of Tallinn Airport’s 70% increase in airport charges, which is harming Estonia’s competitiveness as a destination, at a time when other countries like Sweden, Hungary, Poland, and regional Italy, are actively lowering costs to grow traffic and tourism.

Ryanair’s record growth in these cost-competitive markets demonstrates the immediate impact that lower access costs deliver. If the Estonian Govt and Tallinn Airport act now to reduce access costs and make the airport competitive again, Ryanair is ready to deliver on its ambitious growth proposal to double capacity by 700,000 seats to 1.4 million p.a., substantially growing Estonia’s traffic, tourism, and jobs.

Ryanair’s CCO, Jason McGuinness, said:

“Tallinn Airport’s illogical decision to increase airport charges by 70% at a time when other European airports and countries are reducing charges to stimulate investment and travel has forced Ryanair to reduce its Tallinn Winter’25 capacity by 40%, resulting in the loss of 110,000 seats and 5 international routes. When combined with this Summer’s cuts Tallinn hast lost over 340,000 Ryanair seats across the full year. These cuts will severely damage traffic, jobs, and tourism growth in Estonia.

While competitor countries such as Albania, Hungary, Italy, Poland, and Sweden are reducing airport fees to stimulate growth – to which Ryanair has responded with more routes, more seats, and more jobs – Tallinn is heading in the opposite direction leading to less direct flights, less low-fare seats, and less inbound tourism.

Ryanair again calls on the Estonian Govt and Tallinn Airport to reverse the 70% charge increase and follow the lead of competitor countries by adopting lower access costs. If this happens, Ryanair stands ready to deliver significant growth in Tallinn, doubling capacity to 1.4m seats p.a., boosting tourism and supporting Estonia’s economic recovery. If the Govt fails to seize this opportunity, fares for Estonian passengers will inevitably rise and Ryanair will be forced to keep reallocating capacity to more competitive growth orientated EU markets.”