Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Wednesday, 15^th October) announced that it has reduced its German Winter ’25 capacity by over 800,000 seats and cancelled 24 routes across 9 high-cost German airports (including Berlin, Hamburg, and Memmingen), while Dortmund, Dresden, and Leipzig will remain closed. As a result, Ryanair’s overall capacity in Germany will fall below Winter ‘24 levels.

This decision is a direct result of the Federal Govt’s repeated failure to address Germany’s high access costs and the disappointing roll-back on their commitment to reverse the latest +24% aviation tax increase introduced in May ’24. This punitive aviation tax, coupled with Germany’s soaring ATC charges, excessive Security Fees, and rising airport costs have made Germany grossly uncompetitive compared to other EU countries. Germany’s sky-high access costs are in stark contrast with countries such as Ireland, Spain and Poland which have no aviation taxes, or Sweden, Hungary, and regional Italy, where aviation taxes are being scrapped alongside reduced access costs to boost traffic, tourism, jobs, and economic recovery. As a result, Germany remains among the worst recovered air traffic markets in Europe, operating at just 88% of pre-Covid levels.

Ryanair calls on the German Govt and Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder to take urgent action and reduce Germany’s excessive access costs. Without an immediate intervention, Germany will continue to fall further behind more competitive European countries into Summer ’26. However, should the Govt reverse the latest aviation tax increase (then fully abolish the tax) and reduce its spiralling access costs, Ryanair could deliver transformative growth in Germany incl. 30 additional aircraft (+US$3bn investment), doubling traffic to 34m passengers p.a., and creating over 1,000 additional jobs across Germany.

Speaking from Berlin, Ryanair’s CMO, Dara Brady, said:

“It is very disappointing that the newly elected German Government has already failed to deliver on their commitment to reduce the regressive aviation tax and sky-high access costs which are crippling Germany’s aviation sector. As a result, Ryanair has been left with no choice but to reduce our Winter ’25 capacity by over 800,000 seats and cancel 24 routes across 9 high-cost German airports (including Berlin, Hamburg, and Memmingen), in addition to maintaining our closures of Dortmund, Dresden, and Leipzig. This completely avoidable loss of connectivity will bring our capacity below Winter ’24 levels and will have a devastating impact on German connectivity, jobs, and tourism.

Germany’s air travel market is broken and needs an urgent fix. Due to its excessive access costs, Germany has only recovered 88% of its pre-Covid traffic, which is by far the worst recovery of any major European market. Until the excessive (and rising) aviation tax, ATC charges, Security Fees and airport costs are addressed by the Government, German air traffic will simply continue to declinewhilst other more competitive European countries (with no aviation taxes) benefit from turbocharged Ryanair traffic growth – at Germany’s expense.

Ryanair once again calls on Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder to take urgent action to fix Germany’s broken air transport system by reducing its high access costs which, combined with Lufthansa’s high-fare monopoly, have forced German citizens and visitors to pay the highest airfares in Europe. Ryanair stands ready and willing to bring transformative growth to Germany and, subject to the Government finally taking action to reduce access costs, could deliver an additional 30 aircraft (+US$3bn investment), double traffic to 34m passengers p.a., and support the creation of over 1,000 additional jobs across Germany.”

TEN NEW ROUTES TO BRATISLAVA, SALZBURG, BYDGOSZCZ AND MORE

Ryanair, Spain’s No. 1 airline, today (14 Oct) announced its Winter 2025 schedule for Alicante, with 79 routes, including ten exciting new destinations – Bratislava (Slovakia); Linz, Salzburg (Austria); Bydgoszcz, Rzeszow (Poland); Cardiff, Aberdeen (Wales/Scotland, UK); Stockholm Västeras, Smaland (Sweden); Lanzarote (Spain) and extra flights to popular routes such as Milan, Marrakesh, Budapest, Edinburgh and many more. These additional routes and frequencies will see Ryanair’s winter capacity grow in Alicante by 12%, providing its citizens and visitors with more choice and regular connections at the lowest fares in Europe.  

Ryanair’s Winter 2025 schedule will largely operate on the airline’s 16 Alicante-based aircraft, representing a $1.6bn investment, supporting over 6,700 local jobs, and driving year-round tourism to Alicante.

While Ryanair is growing at Alicante Airport this Winter, the airline has been forced to cut -1,000,000 seats from its wider Spanish Winter 2025 schedule due to AENA’s excessive +6.62% charge increase and ineffective “incentive schemes”, which is turning regional airports financially unviable to operate. Ryanair has long championed and invested in regional airports supporting low fare access to boost tourism and jobs, but cannot justify continued investment in airports where growth is blocked due to uncompetitive fees.

Ryanair’s full Winter 2025 schedule is available to book now at Ryanair.com, with flights to/from Alicante available from as little as €21.99, to travel from November until the end of March 2026.

Ryanair’s Head of Communications and spokesperson in Spain, Alejandra Ruiz, said:

“Ryanair is pleased to launch our Alicante Winter 2025 schedule, with 79 routes, including ten new exciting destinations such as Bratislava (Slovakia); Linz, Salzburg (Austria); Bydgoszcz, Rzeszow (Poland); Cardiff, Aberdeen (Wales/Scotland, UK); Stockholm Västeras, Smaland (Sweden); Lanzarote (Spain) and additional flights in 29 existing routes, including Milan, Marrakesh, Budapest, Edinburgh and many more. This new offer increases Ryanair’s capacity at Alicante by 12%, giving our customers even more choice at the lowest fares.

Despite AENA’s excessive taxes, which have contributed to *2M seat losses in 2025 in other regions, Ryanair remains committed to Alicante, with 16 based aircraft, supporting over 6,700 local jobs.

Ryanair’s full Winter 2025 schedule is available to book now at Ryanair.com, with flights to/from Alicante available from just €21.99 to travel from November until the end of March 2026“.

37 ROUTES (2 NEW), 8 AIRCRAFT ($800M INV) & TRAFFIC GROWTH TO 4,5M P.A. 

Ryanair, Italy’s No.1 airline, today (14 Oct) launched its Winter 2025 schedule for Pisa with 37 routes, incl. 2 exciting new winter routes to Amman and Warsaw, along with increased weekly frequencies on popular existing routes incl. Dublin, Madrid, Marrakech, and Tirana.

Ryanair’s Winter 2025 schedule will operate mostly on the airline’s now 8 Pisa-based aircraft, representing a $800m investment and supporting over 3,600 jobs in the region, while driving year-round inbound tourism in the city and throughout the region

Ryanair’s Pisa W25 schedule will deliver:

• 37 total routes
• 2 new routes to Amman and Warsaw
• Increase freq. on popular existing routes incl. Dublin, Madrid, Marrakech, and Tirana
• 8 aircraft – $800 million invest.
• 4.5M pax p.a.
• Supp. over 3,600 jobs, incl. 240 highly paid aviation jobs

Ryanair has operated to/from Pisa for the past 27 years, carrying over 57 million passengers to date and aims to continue invest and grow traffic in Tuscany region and Italy. To further grow Italian traffic and tourism, Ryanair calls on the Italian Government and its Regions to scrap the Municipal Tax at all Italian airports as Abruzzo, Calabria, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Sicily, for smaller airports, already have. This will allow Ryanair and other airlines to deliver rapid new routes, tourism, and jobs growth on a year-round basis.

Ryanair’s Head of Communications for Italy, Fabrizio Francioni, said:

“As Italy’s no. 1 airline, Ryanair is delighted to announce its Winter 2025 schedule for Pisa with 37 routes, including 2 exciting new routes to Amman and Warsaw, and over 400 weekly flights, which reflect the Ryanair’s commitment to Tuscany region development. To further grow Italian traffic and tourism, Ryanair calls on the Italian Government and its Regions to scrap the Municipal Tax at all Italian airports as Abruzzo, Calabria, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and, for smaller airport, Sicily already have. Reducing access costs and removing the Municipal Tax has proven very successful in delivering transformative connectivity, tourism and jobs growth in these Regions – where we have added 8 aircraft and new routes since they abolished the Municipal Tax. Should the Italian Govt abolish the municipal tax at all Italian airports, Ryanair could respond with a US$4bn investment in Italy, adding 40 new aircraft, traffic growth to 80m passengers p.a., 1,500 new Ryanair jobs and over 250 new routes”.

Toscana Aeroporti said:

“Ryanair’s winter offering confirms the strategic importance of Pisa airport and strengthens the solidity of our partnership, providing continuity and substance to a shared and jointly developed growth plan. In this context, Toscana Aeroporti is working on the expansion and renovation of the new terminal, with a first phase of works to be completed by summer 2026. This is a €70 million investment that will allow us to offer an increasingly efficient and competitive airport experience”.

To celebrate the Winter 2025 schedule and the new routes to/from Pisa, Ryanair has launched seat sale with fares from just €21.99 to travel until 18^th December, available from today for booking by end of October only at ryanair.com (subject to availability).

URGES LATVIAN GOVT & RIGA AIRPORT TO REDUCE ACCESS COSTS TO GROW LATVIAN TRAFFIC, TOURISM & JOBS

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Thurs, 9 Oct) announced it will reduce its Riga Winter ‘25 capacity by 160,000 seats (-20%) and cut 7 international routes – Aarhus, Berlin, Edinburgh, Gdansk, Gothenburg, Memmingen, and Paris Beauvais due to rising access costs (airport fees, aviation tax), which make Riga less competitive as traffic remains below pre-Covid levels (90%).

Since Ryanair opened its Riga base in Nov ‘21, access costs have risen, while competitor countries such as Italy, Hungary, Poland, and Albania are abolishing aviation taxes and reducing airport charges to drive traffic and tourism growth. Ryanair has presented an ambitious growth plan to the Latvian Govt to double Riga’s traffic by +1.7m passengers (to 3.4m), base two additional aircraft (US$200m incremental investment) and launch 14 new routes over the next five years. However, this growth can only be delivered if Riga Airport and the Latvian Govt reduce airport charges and abolish the aviation tax.

Ryanair’s CCO, Jason McGuinness, said:

“Ryanair regrets being forced to reduce our Riga Winter ‘25 capacity by 20% (160,000 seats) and cancel 7 international routes. These cuts follow rising access costs at Riga Airport – which have increased by 15% since Ryanair opened its Riga base in 2021. Uncompetitive access costs only serve to undermine Latvia’s traffic recovery – which remains 10% below pre-Covid levels – and has directly resulted in the loss of routes, reduced connectivity.

While countries like Albania, Poland, Sweden, and Italy are lowering access costs and abolishing aviation taxes to stimulate traffic growth, rising costs at Riga Airport is stifling expansion and putting hundreds of jobs at risk. Recently the Latvian Govt. and Riga Airport have committed to improving the competitiveness of Latvian Aviation, subject to which, Ryanair will prioritise Latvia for more low-fare seats, new routes, and additional based aircraft.

We are working with Riga Airport and the Latvian Govt. and hope in the near future to grow traffic, tourism, and jobs.

CALLS ON THE LITHUANIAN GOVT TO REDUCE ACCESS COSTS TO SUPPORT GROWTH

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Wed, 8 Oct) confirmed it will deliver zero growth in Lithuania for Winter ’25, as rising airport access costs continue to block recovery, limit connectivity and prevent the country from unlocking its full potential for tourism, jobs, and economic growth.

While competing European countries such as Albania, Hungary, Poland, Sweden, and Italy are reducing costs and abolishing aviation taxes to stimulate airline traffic, Lithuania is moving in the opposite direction. Instead of lowering costs to drive recovery, Lithuanian Airports have inexplicably chosen to increase airport charges – with Vilnius up +30% since 2023 – leaving the airport uncompetitive and traffic still -2% below pre-Covid levels.

This lack of competitiveness is particularly damaging in Vilnius, where the opening of the new terminal – which has doubled capacity at the Airport – should represent a huge opportunity for Lithuania to expand connectivity, develop inbound tourism and create jobs. However, rising access costs are stifling this opportunity, and if the Government acts now to make Lithuania more competitive and reduces airport fees – especially at Vilnius – Ryanair is ready to deliver its transformational growth plan which will double traffic from 1.4m to 2.8m seats, add 10 new routes and base 3 additional aircraft (5 tot.), creating jobs and boosting tourism in Lithuania’s capital city.

Ryanair’s CCO, Jason McGuinness, said:

“It’s disappointing that Ryanair will deliver zero growth in Lithuania for Winter ’25, which is entirely the result of the rising access costs at Lithuanian airports – with Lithuanian Airports choosing to raise charges at Vilnius by 30% and Palanga by 7%. These increases, at a time when other European countries are cutting costs to drive growth, are leaving Lithuania hopelessly uncompetitive, slowing its recovery and resulting in reduced connectivity, forcing the reallocation of capacity to faster-growing, lower-cost markets across Europe.

The opening of the expanded Vilnius terminal has doubled available capacity at the Airport, providing a clear opportunity to boost connectivity, tourism, and jobs – but rising access costs are holding Vilnius back, preventing the airport and Lithuania from turning this potential into tangible growth and enhanced connectivity.

While countries like Albania, Hungary, Poland, Sweden, and Italy are reducing access costs to stimulate traffic growth, regrettably Lithuania is going in the opposite direction. Ryanair urges the Lithuanian Govt. to reduce access costs and become far more competitive to unlock Ryanair’s ambitious growth plan – doubling Vilnius traffic from 1.4m to 2.8m seats p.a., creating jobs, and boosting tourism and economic growth. Without urgent action, fares for Lithuanian passengers will rise and Ryanair will continue to allocate aircraft and capacity to more competitive growth orientated markets elsewhere in Europe.”

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.”

Ryanair, Spain’s No.1 airline, today (Wed, 8 Oct) announced that it will reduce its Summer 2026 schedule to Regional Spain by 1.2m seats (-10%). Ryanair will also stop all flights to/from Asturias Airport, as the Aena Monopoly continues to raise its uncompetitive airport fees at Spanish (mostly empty) regional airports. These regrettable cuts follow Ryanair’s 1m seat cuts to Regional Spain for Winter 2025, and are a direct result of the Spanish Govt’s failure to stop Aena’s monopoly fee increases, particularly at under-used Regional airports, and its failure to reverse Minister Bustinduy’s illegal bag fines, despite promising to do so. While Minister Bustinduy continues to illegally interfere in the pricing of low-fare airlines (in breach of EU law), he refuses to take any action against overcharging by a number of Spanish OTAs (online travel agencies) who continue to overcharge and harm unsuspecting Spanish consumers.

The Spanish Govt is the majority shareholder in the Aena Airport Monopoly and has appointed an ex-politician (Maurici Lucena) to run it. Despite this control, the Aena Monopoly continues to raise fees at Spain Regional Airports, making them uncompetitive and harming growth. Aena’s monopoly approach to pricing is that small underused Regional airports should charge similar rates as busy main airports like Madrid, Barcelona, Palma and Malaga. As a result, Ryanair is switching seat capacity to these bigger Spanish airports (where passenger demand and air fares are higher). When faced with high fees at Regional airports, Ryanair has moved to lower cost airports elsewhere in Morocco, Italy, Croatia, Albania, and Sweden, where Govts are abolishing Enviro Taxes and lowering Airport fees.

Ryanair submitted two growth plans — including for some of the airports we are now closing — to Aena and the Spanish Government. These plans would have increased traffic by 40% by 2030, reaching 77 million passengers per year. However, the Spanish Government chose to ignore the proposals, raise airport charges, and sacrifice potential growth and job creation.

Regional Spain can grow, but it needs a Govt committed to stimulating growth by lowering the cost of air travel to/from the Regions of Spain, and a Consumer Minister who actually protects consumers by ending OTA overcharging, while respecting both EU law, and precedent ECJ Court Rulings (the Vueling Case 2014), which clearly prevent national Govts from interfering in the way airlines price seats, or carry-on bags.

Ryanair Group CEO Michael O’Leary, said:

“AENA and its major shareholder, the Spanish Govt, continue to harm regional traffic growth, tourism and jobs in Spain through high airport fees and unjustified price increases. AENA should be lowering airport fees at underused Regional airports, but instead they plan to increase them by 7%, the highest fee increase for over a decade. The Spanish Govt has failed to stimulate Regional tourism and jobs, as it continues to protect the Aena Monopoly’s high fee operations. We regret that these fee increases make Regional Spanish airports uncompetitive, and this is why Ryanair is switching 1.2m more seats away from Regional airports in Spain in S2026, to some of Spain’s bigger airports, but mainly to lower-cost competitor airports in Italy, Morocco, Croatia, Sweden, and Hungary.

Furthermore, despite Govt promises to reverse Minister Bustinduy’s illegal bag fines, Prime Minister Sanchez has taken no action for 2 years now. Bustinduy’s bag fines are clearly illegal, as they are in breach of EU Regulation on airline pricing freedom, and they are in breach of the ECJ Ruling the Vueling case, which established that airlines are free to charge for carry-on bags, as long as every passenger is allowed to bring a small bag “Maleta Gratis” for their personal items. While Minister Bustinduy pursues his illegal bag fines, he has taken zero action against real consumer harm, such as the overcharging of Spain’s consumers by a number OTAs. Ryanair has written 8 letters to Minister Bustinduy between April 2024 and October 2025, calling on him to take action, but he continues to stand idly by as consumers are being overcharged by OTAs. Minister Bustinduy is not just incompetent, but his bag fines are in clear breach of EU law and ECJ Rulings. If Prime Minister Sanchez has any respect for EU law, then he should dismiss Bustinduy, and cancel these illegal bag fines.

Ryanair remains one of Spain’s biggest overseas investors, and we continue to invest heavily in Spain, with 2 new Maintenance Facilities in Madrid and Seville. We will shortly open our new Airline Training Centre in Madrid. While we wish to continue to grow air traffic and connectivity to Regional Spain, we are prevented from doing so by the Aena’s Monopoly high airport fees and the failure of Prime Minister Sanchez and his Govt, to restrain this overcharging Airport Monopoly, which they own and control. We look forward to returning to Growth in Regional Spain, when Aena fees are reduced, making them competitive with lower-cost airports elsewhere in Morocco, Italy, Croatia, Hungary and other EU States, who are abolishing Aviation Taxes and lowering airport fees to grow their traffic and tourism industries.”