RYANAIR URGES DUTCH GOVT TO USE BUDGET 2027 TO RESTORE DUTCH CONNECTIVITY AND CONFIRMS NO GROWTH UNTIL FAKE “ECO” TAX IS REMOVED  

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Tues, 25 Aug) criticised the Jetten Govt’s complete failure to address the Netherlands’ damaging aviation tax despite being six months in office, and confirmed that it has no plans for growth in the Netherlands until this fake “eco” tax is removed.

Budget 2027 presents a clear opportunity for the Jetten Govt to finally scrap the Dutch aviation tax and reverse years of decline in connectivity, tourism and jobs. After six months of inaction from the Govt, the Netherlands continues to burden passengers and regional airports with Europe’s highest aviation tax, while competitor countries are reducing aviation taxes and winning traffic, tourism and jobs. What makes this fake “eco” tax even more absurd is that Schiphol transfer passengers remain exempt, giving legacy carrier KLM’s most polluting connecting traffic a free pass while ordinary Dutch citizens, tourists and regional airports are left to pay the bill.

The consequences of this failed aviation policy are already clear. In 2025, Ryanair was forced to withdraw from Maastricht Aachen Airport as a direct result of the excessive €30 Dutch tax, combined with the airport’s own cost increases, and with Eindhoven Airport set to close in the first half of 2027, Dutch passengers can now expect declining connectivity issues to get significantly worse next year. Regional airports continue to lose traffic to neighbouring German airports close to the Dutch border, whose aviation taxes, while still high, remain lower than those in the Netherlands.

Ryanair urges Prime Minister Jetten to use ongoing budget negotiations to reverse his course immediately and abolish aviation taxes to grow traffic, tourism and jobs – as has been done in competitor destinations like Sweden, Hungary, Slovakia, Italy, and Albania. Until this fake “eco” tax is scrapped, Ryanair sees no basis for growth in the Netherlands and has no plans to add additional capacity to the Dutch market.

Ryanair’s CMO, Dara Brady, said:

“Six months into office, the Jetten Govt has achieved absolutely nothing on aviation taxes. With Budget 2027 now under negotiation, ministers have a clear opportunity to scrap the fake “eco” tax that has already devastated connectivity, harmed regional airports and driven passengers across the border. Ryanair has confirmed that it will not grow in the Netherlands this Winter and has no plans to add additional capacity in the Dutch market until the Jetten Govt scraps the tax for good.

The Netherlands should be encouraging growth, investment and connectivity, especially ahead of Eindhoven’s closure in the first half of 2027. Instead, Dutch passengers, tourists and regional airports continue to bear the cost of Europe’s highest aviation tax, while Schiphol transfer passengers enjoy a tax exemption. This fake ‘eco’ tax is weakening connectivity, harming regional airports and making the Netherlands less competitive than other European markets. Ryanair calls on Prime Minister Jetten to use ongoing budget negotiations to scrap this damaging aviation tax and restore Dutch competitiveness before even more connectivity is lost to pro‑growth European markets like Sweden, Hungary, Slovakia, Albania and Italy.”