Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Fri, 14 Nov) called again on Chancellor “Sleepy” Stocker and Transport Minister “Hopeless” Hanke to do something to deliver economic growth by abolishing Austria’s failed €12 aviation tax. While even Germany yesterday announced they will cut their damaging aviation tax and excessive ATC fees to reduce costs for Germany’s declining aviation sector, Govts in Italy, Slovakia, Hungary, Sweden have already scrapped aviation taxes to grow air traffic, tourism, and job creation. Meanwhile in Austria where Sleepy Stocker, and Hopeless Hanke do nothing, aircraft, traffic, jobs and tourism is switching to lower cost countries like Slovakia, Hungary and Italy due to Govt inaction. Austria’s €12 aviation tax is driving airlines, passengers and tourism spend to lower-cost neighbours. This harmful levy raises less than €160m per year, yet costs Austria billions in lost tourism, jobs, and regional development.

Ryanair’s Andreas Gruber said:

“While our Austrian Govt “does nothing”, Slovakia, Sweden, Hungary, and Italy are abolishing aviation taxes and winning growth, while Austria declines. Even Germany yesterday finally cut their damaging aviation tax and excessive ATC fees to improve competitiveness and reduce costs for Germany’s declining aviation industry.

The Austrian Govt. needs to wake up, and urgently abolish this harmful €12 aviation tax, in order to deliver low-fare traffic, tourism, and jobs growth for Austria. Otherwise, airlines like Ryanair will continue to divert aircraft traffic and jobs from Vienna to other lower-cost economies in Slovakia, Italy and Hungary until such time, as Chancellor Stocker abolishes this failed €12 aviation tax and reverses the unjustified price increases, which were imposed by Austrian ATC and Vienna Airport since Covid.

Ryanair has already committed a $1 billion investment plan that would deliver a 70% traffic growth, 10 new aircraft, 40 new routes and thousands of jobs in Vienna and across the regions – but only if Austria’s “do nothing” Govt led by Sleepy Stocker and Hopeless Hanke finally scraps this stupid and harmful tax.”