Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (21 Apr) called on the Austrian Govt to urgently abolish its harmful €12 aviation tax by 1 May, or face a continued decline in airlines, routes and traffic serving Austrian airports. Already this year, Austria’s damaging €12 aviation tax has seen airlines such as Wizz, Level and EasyJet abandon Austria, while Austria’s 2 biggest airlines, AUA and Ryanair, have cut capacity and closed routes as they switch aircraft to lower cost neighbouring countries like Slovakia, Italy, and Albania. This damaging and harmful €12 tax has made Austria uncompetitive at a time when competitor countries like Slovakia, Albania and Italy are abolishing aviation taxes, lowering ATC fees, and introducing growth incentive schemes, which deliver lower airport cost to those airlines that choose to grow.

While Austria declines under the weight of Govt policy failure, neighbouring countries like Slovakia are enjoying record growth as they abolish aviation taxes, cut ATC fees, and lower airport fees using the type of growth incentive scheme which Vienna Airport used to offer, but no longer do.

Ryanair stands ready to deliver its $1 billion growth plan, which would see it grow Austrian traffic by 70% to 12m passengers over the next 5 years, but only when the Govt abolishes this damaging €12 aviation tax, when ATC fees are cut (as Slovakia has recently), and when Vienna Airport reintroduces the growth incentive schemes that were such a great success 8 years ago. Ryanair has offered to base up to 10 new B737 aircraft (worth $1bn) in Vienna, and grow traffic at Austria’s regional airports as well, but only when Chancellor Stocker abolishes this stupid and harmful tax.

Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said:

“Today we call again on Chancellor Stocker and Transport Minister Hanke to abandon their failed high tax policies. Austria has become totally uncompetitive, and is losing aircraft, routes and traffic to lower cost alternatives like Slovakia, Albania and Regional Italy. Even Sweden, the home of Greta Thunberg and flight shaming, has now abolished its aviation tax.  Meanwhile, Austria has the highest aviation taxes, the highest ATC fees, and Vienna Airport has abandoned its growth incentive schemes, making Austria and Vienna hopelessly uncompetitive at a time when neighbours such as Slovakia have abolished aviation taxes, slashed ATC fees, and have lowered airport charges through growth incentive schemes, which Vienna Airport used to offer, but no longer does.

The solution to Austria’s aviation crisis is clear. We need leadership and we need action. Abolish Austria’s harmful €12 aviation tax, cut Austria’s expensive ATC fees immediately by 50% to make them competitive with neighbouring Slovakia, and demand that Vienna Airport reinstate the growth incentive schemes, which were such a success when Vienna introduced them 8 years ago.

Ryanair can and will deliver rapid traffic and tourism growth for Vienna, but only when Austria offers a competitive cost base to that currently offered in Slovakia, Albania and Regional Italy. Until such time as it does, it is inevitable that Austria will continue to lose aircraft, routes, traffic and jobs to lower cost countries, while “Sleepy Stocker” and “Hopeless Hanke” fiddle around with “reform” of the aviation tax, when what it needs, is abolition. It’s time for action from the Stocker Govt, and we call on them to abolish this stupid aviation tax on 1 May next, and give Austria an opportunity to recover the traffic, tourism and jobs it has lost as a result of its high tax policy over recent years.”