Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Monday, 2 Mar) congratulates Rob Jetten on his appointment as Prime Minister and calls on the incoming Govt to immediately scrap the Netherlands’ fake “eco” aviation tax, which has devastated Dutch connectivity by imposing uncompetitive costs simply to protect the interests of legacy carrier KLM – all at the expense of Dutch citizens, tourists and regional airports. The formation of this new Govt presents a unique opportunity to reverse years of anti‑aviation policy failures and restore the Netherlands as a competitive European travel market.

Since its introduction in 2021, the Dutch Aviation Tax has skyrocketed to €30 per passenger in 2026, a staggering +288% increase in just five years. This fake “eco” tax, which inexplicably exempts KLM’s most polluting connecting passengers, has made the Netherlands one of the least competitive aviation markets in Europe.

Dutch Regional airports are paying the highest price, with Maastricht and Groningen operating at just 30% and 26% of their pre-Covid traffic levels respectively. In 2025, Ryanair had no choice but to exit Maastricht Aachen Airport as a direct result of the excessive €30 Dutch tax, combined with the airport’s own cost increases. Meanwhile, countries such as Albania, Poland and neighbouring Sweden have all surpassed pre-Covid levels thanks to pro-growth aviation policies that support connectivity rather than destroy it. The Netherlands is now losing passengers, routes and tourism to markets that actually want them.

Ryanair now calls on Prime Minister Rob Jetten and the newly appointed coalition Govt to act quickly and scrap this fake “eco” tax, which continues to stifle traffic and harm Dutch passengers, inbound tourism, and regional airports.

Ryanair’s CMO, Dara Brady, said:

“Ryanair congratulates the new Prime Minister, Rob Jetten, on his appointment and urges his Govt to act fast to scrap the Dutch fake “eco” tax, which has exploded to over €30 in 2026. This punitive tax has driven up fares, severely harmed regional airports, and forced Dutch passengers across the border in search of affordable flights, all while protecting KLM’s most polluting connecting passengers, who remain exempt from the tax despite producing more than double the emissions of Ryanair’s cleaner, greener, point‑to‑point flights.

Scrapping this fake “eco” tax would immediately restore Dutch competitiveness, deliver lower fares for consumers, and finally rebuild the connectivity the Netherlands has lost in recent years, particularly in regional airports. With aviation taxes being abolished across several European markets – such as Sweden, Hungary, Albania and the Italian regions – now is the perfect moment for the new Govt to reverse these damaging policies and deliver a pro‑growth, pro‑tourism aviation strategy that supports regional airports, passengers, and the Dutch economy.”

THREE NEW ROUTES TO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, SAARBRÜCKEN & BRATISLAVA

Ryanair, Spain’s No. 1 airline, today (26 Feb) announced its Summer 2026 schedule for Alicante, with 89 routes, including three new connections to the German cities of Friedrichshafen and Saarbrücken (both operating twice weekly), and Bratislava, Slovakia (with 4 weekly flights). Ryanair’s Alicante schedule will also grow with additional capacity in 40 existing popular destinations such as Liverpool, Ibiza, Poznan, Budapest, Porto and many more, reaching over 580 weekly flights this Summer. These additional routes and frequencies will see Ryanair’s seat capacity grow in Alicante by +10%, providing its citizens and visitors with more choice at the lowest fares in Europe.

Ryanair’s Summer 2026 schedule will largely operate on the airline’s 20 Alicante-based aircraft, representing a $2bn investment, supporting over 7,300 local jobs, and strengthening Alicante’s connectivity – contributing to the region’s positioning as a major tourism hub.

New Routes	Weekly Frequencies
Friedrichshafen	2
Saarbrucken	2
Bratislava	4

While Ryanair continues to grow at Alicante Airport, Spain’s tourism sector is at a crossroads with Aena’s proposal to increase charges by +21% over the next five years. The country needs low-cost facilities and competitive pricing to attract airline investment and growth; however, Aena is only offering gold-plated facilities and excessive fees that undermine Spain’s competitiveness. Ryanair rejects these hugely damaging policies, which only benefit the Aena monopoly, and calls on the CNMC and the Ministry of Transport to lower airport charges and protect Spain’s connectivity, tourism and jobs.

Ryanair’s full Summer 2026 schedule is available to book now at Ryanair.com, with flights to/from Alicante available from as little as €27.99 to travel until October, booking by Thursday, 5^th March 2026*.

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

“We are pleased to launch Ryanair’s Alicante Summer 2026 schedule, with 89 routes, including three new connections to Friedrichshafen, Saarbrücken (Germany) and Bratislava (Slovakia), as well as extra flights to 40 popular destinations such as Liverpool, Ibiza, Poznan, Budapest, Porto and many more! This new offer, which reaches over 580 flights a week, increases Ryanair’s capacity at Alicante by +10%, giving our customers even more choice at the lowest fares.

Despite AENA’s excessive charges, which have made flying from other Spanish regions too expensive and contributed to a 1.2M seat loss in the upcoming summer season, Ryanair remains committed to Alicante, where it continues adding more flights and new routes in response to a strong demand among international and national visitors. However, if AENA’s proposal to increase charges by another 21% by 2031 is approved, it will further damage air connectivity, tourism and jobs across Spain, as airline capacity will inevitably migrate to lower cost airports elsewhere in Europe.

Ryanair’s full Summer 2026 schedule is available to book now at Ryanair.com and the Ryanair app, with flights to/from Alicante available from just €27.99 to travel until October, booking by Thursday, 5^th March 2026*.

*Promo fares subject to availability.

Ryanair, the largest airline in Poland and Europe, announced today (26 February) a record summer schedule from Lublin covering six destinations, including a brand new route to Trapani-Marsala and the return of last year’s hit – Barcelona Girona. This year’s schedule means a record-breaking offer for Lublin and a 20% increase in the number of available routes and connections year-on-year, providing passengers with the richest network in the history of Ryanair’s operations in the region.

The expanded network will also translate into further growth in passenger traffic – in 2026, Ryanair plans to serve 250,000 travellers to and from Lublin, confirming the growing popularity of the airport and the consistent development of the carrier’s operations in this region.

Ryanair’s Summer ’26 schedule for Lublin includes:

• Six routes from Lublin, including Bergamo, Dublin, Gdańsk, and London,
• One new route: Trapani-Marsala (Sicily),
• Return of Barcelona-Girona – the hit of summer 2025,
• Record-breaking offer – the largest summer network in the history of Lublin.

To mark the announcement of the Summer ’26 season for Lublin, Ryanair has prepared a special ticket sale, with prices starting from PLN 126. The offer is valid until 1 March exclusively on the Ryanair app and website.

Alicja Wójcik-Gołębiowska, Head of Comms CEE & Baltics Ryanair, said:

“We are delighted to announce a record-breaking summer schedule from Lublin, covering six routes, including a new one – Trapani Marsala – and the return of the extremely popular Barcelona Girona. The 20% increase in our offering means that residents of the region have the widest choice of connections in history, which fits perfectly with our long-term development strategy in Lublin.

To mark the announcement of the Summer ’26 season for Lublin, we have prepared a dedicated ticket sale, with prices starting from PLN 126. The offer is valid until 1 March exclusively on the Ryanair app and website.”

Marcin Kowalewski, Vice-President of Lublin Airport, said:

“We are pleased to be able to work with our partner, Ryanair, to develop our offering in response to the needs of the region’s residents, passengers and business partners. Thank you for your trust, and we are delighted that our airport is becoming an important point on the aviation map of Poland and this part of Europe. Ryanair is our trusted partner, which has been with us since the very beginning of Lublin Airport’s operations. Our cooperation, which has been going on for over a decade, is bringing further results. The new route to Sicily and the return of the connection to Barcelona are an expression of trust in our airport and recognition of the region’s potential. It is also proof of the growing popularity of Lublin Airport.”

RULING PROTECTS LOW FARES IN BELGIUM – TEST ACHATS WILL NOT APPEAL

Ryanair today (Thurs, 26 Feb) welcomed Test Achats’ decision not to appeal the recent Brussels Court ruling (28 Jan) which confirmed that Ryanair’s cabin bag policy fully complies with EU law and the CJEU’s authoritative Vueling judgment. The Court acknowledged that every Ryanair passenger is entitled to carry on board a free underseat bag of reasonable size and weight, capable of holding their personal effects and meeting all safety requirements. The Court expressly rejected the claim that airlines must include a larger overhead‑locker bag in the basic fare.

In its judgment, the Court stated “It cannot be argued that RYANAIR does not comply with Article 23 of Regulation 1008/2008… Ryanair’s bag policy meets the requirements of Regulation 1008/2008, as specified by the Court’s case law”.  The Court continued: “Neither Article 23 nor the Vueling caselaw requires an air carrier to accept free carryon baggage of a size larger than that authorised by RYANAIR…” and added “TEST ACHATS’ argument that RYANAIR is legally obliged to include… free carriage of carryon baggage to be placed in the cabin luggage compartments is not upheld… This grievance lacks merit”.

This final and binding ruling brings Belgium into line with a long list of authoritative judgments across the EU which have upheld Ryanair’s cabin bag policy, including rulings by the Italian Council of State, the Berlin Regional Court, the Berlin Higher Regional Court, as well as the Barcelona, Valencia, Valladolid, Sevilla and Madrid courts in Spain. These Courts have consistently ruled that Ryanair’s free underseat bag satisfies EU law requirements and that airlines are free to set prices for optional services such as larger cabin bags and 10kg checked bags.

The Brussels Court also dismissed Test Achats’ claims against other Ryanair policies. On Ryanair’s demand-based pricing, the Court found “This grievance lacks merit”. On seat choice, it held “It cannot be considered that the way in which RYANAIR operates is likely to significantly impair the consumer’s freedom of choice”.  On family seating, the Court concluded “It cannot be argued that RYANAIR’s practice is illegal.  This grievance lacks merit”.  With respect to Ryanair’s bag presentation, the Court stated “This is not objectionable… This grievance lacks merit”.

Ryanair’s Dara Brady said:

“We welcome Test Achats’ decision not to appeal this clear and comprehensive ruling confirming – once again and in line with EU and national courts across Italy, Germany, Spain, and the CJEU – that Ryanair’s cabin bag policy fully complies with EU law. Ryanair’s free underseat bag meets all EU legal and safety requirements, which is why Ryanair customers continue to enjoy Europe’s lowest fares by choosing only the optional services they wish to purchase. This Belgian ruling protects low fares and choice for Belgian consumers just as Governments around Europe are realising that low fare air connectivity is critical to economic growth and to Europe’s competitiveness.”

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Wed, 25 Feb) confirmed it has filed a protective brief with the Hamburg Court to prevent eDreams from censoring Ryanair’s recent press statements publicising the Court’s finding that eDreams’ prices and discount advertisements are “misleading”.

eDreams’ attempted censorship comes in the wake of mounting pressure from EU Courts and Regulators in relation to consumer law breaches by eDreams. The Hamburg Regional Court has repeatedly ruled that eDreams’ presentation of prices and discount advertisements are “misleading” and fined eDreams for continued non-compliance with the ruling. 

The German Court’s findings align with findings from other European authorities, such as the €9m sanction imposed by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) for eDreams’ “clearly deceptive”, “unquestionably manipulative”, and “misleading” practices linked to its Prime subscription scheme.  eDreams’ commercial practices have also attracted sanctions from numerous Spanish regional consumer authorities including the Madrid and Castilla y León Consumer Authorities who found “several infringements” of consumer law by eDreams.

eDreams’ efforts to use the German courts to restrict Ryanair’s ability to publicly communicate these Hamburg Court rulings is a blatant attempt to keep consumers in the dark in relation to court findings that eDreams’ practices are “misleading”. Ryanair has submitted a formal brief to defend the accuracy of its statements and its right to inform consumers about findings that eDreams’ practices are “misleading”.

Ryanair CMO, Dara Brady, said:

“eDreams’ attempt to censor Ryanair’s publication of Court findings that eDreams’ pricing practices are ‘misleading’ is a blatant attempt to hide the truth from consumers. The Hamburg Court has already ruled against eDreams and fined them over their conduct. Our PR simply explained those rulings. Instead of fixing its business model, eDreams is now trying to censor Ryanair’s communications and shut down criticism. We won’t let that happen.

We have filed a brief with the Hamburg Court to confirm that our statements are accurate and to defend our right to tell customers the truth about eDreams’ conduct. Ryanair will continue to campaign to protect EU consumers from these overcharging OTAs. EU Govts and National Consumer Authorities should insist on mandatory price transparency from all OTAs to protect consumers, in line with the transparent pricing being delivered by all of Ryanair’s “Approved OTA” partners. Ryanair encourages consumers to book directly on Ryanair.com or through one of Ryanair’s “Approved OTA” partners to ensure the lowest fares and Ryanair approved transparency.”

2 AIRCRAFT ($200M INVEST.), 24 ROUTES (6 NEW) AND 1.2M PASSENGERS P.A. (+35%)

Ryanair, Europe and Italy’s No.1 airline, today (24 Feb) announced its biggest ever Summer schedule for Trapani-Marsala, following the opening of Ryanair’s new base at Vincenzo Florio Airport from Jan ’26. This major expansion follows the Sicilian Region’s forward-thinking decision to scrap the Municipal Tax at smaller Sicilian airports – a move which has immediately boosted regional connectivity, tourism and jobs. This Summer, Trapani-Marsala, Ryanair’s third Sicilian base (and 20^th in Italy), will deliver even more choice and lower fares for Sicilian residents.

Ryanair’s Summer ‘26 schedule will deliver 2 based aircraft (a US$200m investment), 24 routes (including 6 exciting connections to Stockholm, Bournemouth, Bari, Lublin, Saarbrücken, and Verona), and 1.2m passengers p.a. (+35%). Ryanair’s continued growth will support over 960 local jobs and deliver a major economic boost for Trapani, Marsala and the wider Sicilian region by driving tourism, stimulating local trade, improving year-round connectivity and offering even lower fares for both residents and visitors.

Ryanair’s Trapani-Marsala Summer 2026 will deliver:

• 2 aircrafts – $200M invest.
• 24 tot. routes, incl. 6 new to Stockholm, Bournemouth, Bari, Lublin, Saarbrücken, Verona
• 1.2M pax p.a. (+35%)
• Supp. over 960 local jobs

This exciting growth and investment in Trapani-Marsala is a direct result of President Schifani’s forward-thinking decision to scrap the Municipal Tax at smaller Sicilian airports – a measure that is already delivering more routes, more investment and more jobs. Ryanair calls on the Sicilian Govt to take a step further by scrapping the regressive tax at all Sicilian airports to unlock the same benefits for Palermo and Catania, driving more connectivity, more tourism and lower fares for all Sicilians.

Meanwhile, regressive Municipal Tax continues to limit airports’ growth potential across the country, especially in Rome where anti-growth measures – such as a Municipal Tax which is even higher than other Italian airports, the artificial flight cap at Ciampino and AdR’s excessive airport charges – are damaging competitiveness and weakening essential domestic links between the capital and regions like Sicily.

To celebrate the launch of Ryanair’s record Summer 2026 schedule for Trapani-Marsala, the airline has launched a seat sale with fares from just €29.99, available to book now via the Ryanair app (subject to availability)

Fabrizio Francioni, Head of Communications Italy Ryanair, said:

“As Europe and Italy’s No.1 airline, Ryanair is delighted to announce this record-breaking Summer ’26 schedule for Trapani-Marsala – a direct result of the the Sicilian Region’s proactive decision to scrap the Municipal Tax at smaller Sicilian airports. With 2 based aircraft (US$200m invest.) and 24 routes (including 6 exciting new to Stockholm, Bournemouth, Bari, Lublin, Saarbrücken, Verona), this schedule will support over 960 local jobs and 1.2m annual passengers – boosting connectivity, tourism and jobs at Europe’s lowest fares.

Ryanair welcomes President Schifani’s and the Sicilian Govt’s decision to scrap the Municipal Tax at the smaller Sicilian airports, but now is the perfect time to go one step further. Scrapping the anti-growth tax at all Sicilian airports (including Palermo and Catania) would unlock even further growth, lower fares, and greater year-round connectivity for all Sicilian citizens and visitors.

Salvatore Ombra, President of Airgest, said:

“Starting this summer, as previously announced, a second phase will begin. We have delivered on our promise: six new routes, bringing the total to 24 destinations. Our goal is to reach 1.5 million passengers by 2026. In addition, significant investments will be made for a major redesign of our airport. Eight construction projects will begin by the end of this year, with €13.8 million invested in our airport. We can only be pleased — it will be an important year. Negotiations are ongoing, and the goal is to return to the heights achieved in 2016–2017.”

26 ROUTES (4 NEW), 9 BASED AIRCRAFT – $900M INVESTMENT

Ryanair, Europe and Poland’s No. 1 airline, today (24 Feb) announced its biggest-ever Summer 2026 schedule for Katowice, featuring 26 routes, including 4 exciting new destinations: Malaga, Lamezia Terme, Aarhus and Tirana. For Summer ’26, Ryanair will base 9 aircraft in Katowice (3 scheduled + 6 charter), representing a $900m investment.

Katowice Summer ’26 highlights:

• 9 aircraft (3 scheduled + 6 charter) – $900m investment,
• 26 routes, including 4 new: Malaga, Lamezia Terme, Aarhus, Tirana,
• Over 2.2 million passengers p.a. (scheduled + charter),
• 1,700+ jobs supported in the region, including 600 direct.

Katowice remains one of Ryanair’s key bases in Poland, both for scheduled and charter operations. Three aircraft operate the regular schedule, while six are dedicated to the charter market, further strengthening Katowice’s role as one of Ryanair Group’s most important operational centres.

To celebrate its Katowice Summer 2026 schedule, Ryanair has launched a 3-day seat sale with low fares available now on ryanair.com and on Ryanair app.

Michał Kaczmarzyk, CEO Buzz (Ryanair Group), said:

“Katowice is one of Ryanair’s most important and fastest‑growing bases in Poland, so we are proud to announce our record Summer 2026 schedule and the basing of our ninth aircraft. This brings our total investment in Silesia to $900 million – a scale of commitment that truly impacts the local economy.

Our operations support over 1,700 jobs in the region, including nearly 600 direct roles for pilots, cabin crew and ground staff. These aren’t just numbers – this is long‑term, stable growth delivering real benefits to the people of Silesia.

Ryanair continues to expand in Katowice, offering passengers the biggest choice of routes, the lowest fares and the punctuality we’re known for. And this is only the beginning – Katowice will remain a key strategic location for further growth and investment in the years ahead.

To celebrate its Katowice Summer 2026 schedule, Ryanair has launched a 3-day seat sale with low fares available now on ryanair.com and on Ryanair app.”

Artur Tomasik, President of the Board of Górnośląskie Towarzystwo Lotnicze S.A., said

“Expanding Ryanair’s operational base to nine aircraft for the summer season and launching four new scheduled routes is an important signal of Katowice Airport’s growing position within the airline’s network.

Our cooperation is going very well. I expect that in the near future Ryanair will continue to dynamically develop its offering at Katowice Airport – both in terms of scheduled connections and the number of aircraft based here to serve this segment of traffic.”