HIGH-COST ESTONIA & LITHUANIA LOSE 550k (-25%) SEATS

RYANAIR UNVEILS US$1.6BN BALTIC INVESTMENT PROPOSAL & CALLS ON GOVTS TO CUT ACCESS COSTS – NOT WASTE €550M ON SHRINKING “ZOMBIE” AIRBALTIC

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (17 Sept) announced its Winter ’26 Riga schedule, with 2 based aircraft, 16 routes and +6% growth (+40,000 seats), making Latvia the only Baltic country to secure Ryanair growth this Winter. Ryanair will add extra flights on 10 popular Riga routes this Winter, incl. Alicante, Barcelona and Milan Bergamo. This follows Riga Airport’s sensible decision to reduce airport charges through the introduction of a competitive growth incentive scheme, which is available to all airlines willing to grow traffic.

Latvia’s growth contrasts with neighbouring Estonia and Lithuania, where Ryanair capacity will fall by 25% this Winter due to uncompetitive and rising access costs. Tallinn Airport increased its charges by an unjustified +70% in 2025, while Vilnius Airport charges have increased by over +30% since 2023. As a result, Ryanair is reallocating scarce aircraft and capacity from these high-cost Baltic markets to more competitive countries such as Slovakia, Poland, Italy, and Sweden.

Ryanair’s Riga Winter ’26 schedule delivers:

• 2 based aircraft
• 16 routes
• +40,000 seats / +6% growth
• More flights on 10 routes, incl. Alicante, Barcelona & Milan Bergamo

Ryanair also unveiled its 5-year growth proposal to double its traffic in all three Baltic States, which could deliver 11m annual seats, 16 based aircraft (a $1.6bn investment), and thousands of new jobs. This Ryanair growth proposal is even more important following airBaltic’s announcement that it will shrink its fleet by one-third from – 54 to just 36 aircraft by the end of 2026. Since May 2020, the Latvian Govt. has wasted more than €550m of hard-working Latvian taxpayer money on a shrinking “zombie” airline – including 5 equity injections, 3 loans and a compensation payment for Covid travel restrictions. Instead of relying on a shrinking airline, Baltic Governments must now urgently reduce excessive aviation taxes and airport charges to attract private investment, new aircraft, new routes, lower fares and jobs.

Ryanair’s Chief Commercial Officer, Jason McGuinness, said:

“Ryanair is pleased to announce +6% growth in Riga this Winter, 16 routes and more flights on 10 popular routes, including Alicante, Barcelona and Milan. Latvia is the only Baltic country where Ryanair will grow this year, thanks to Riga Airport’s sensible decision to reduce airport charges, by introducing a competitive growth discount for all airlines.

The contrast across the Baltics could not be clearer. Latvia reduces airport charges and Ryanair traffic grows +6%. Estonia and Lithuania increase access costs – Ryanair capacity falls 25%. Tallinn Airport increased charges by a staggering +70% in 2025, while Vilnius Airport charges have risen by almost +30% since 2023. These excessive costs are driving aircraft, routes, passengers and jobs away from the Baltics to more competitive European markets.

Ryanair today unveiled a US$1.6bn investment proposal, offering to double traffic in all three Baltic States, which could deliver 11m annual seats, 16 based aircraft, and thousands of new jobs. This Ryanair growth proposal is even more important following airBaltic’s announcement that it will shrink its fleet by one-third, (from 54 to just 36 aircraft by the end of 2026). Instead of wasting more taxpayer money on zombie airBaltic, Baltic Governments must now abolish aviation taxes and reduce excessive airport charges and compete for Ryanair’s US$1.6bn of investment. Lower access costs deliver more aircraft, more routes, lower fares, more tourism and more jobs – without taxpayers having to fund a cent.“

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