DENMARK LOSES 1.7M SEATS, 32 ROUTES, AND 2 AIRCRAFT FOR SUMMER 2025 AS RYANAIR SWITCHES CAPACITY TO COMPETING EU COUNTRIES WITH NO HARMFUL AVIATION TAXES

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Fri, 31 Jan) announced that it will close its 2 aircraft Billund base (a loss of $200m investment) and cut all routes to/from Aalborg from the end of March, in response to the Govt’s short-sighted decision to introduce an aviation tax of up to DKK 50 per departing passenger from Jan 2025, coupled with Billund’s failure to agree a competitive long-term agreement.

Denmark is one of the few EU countries that has yet to recover its pre-Covid traffic at just 95% of 2019 levels. This harmful aviation tax will further damage Denmark’s connectivity, tourism jobs and economy by making Denmark (particularly regional airports) hopelessly uncompetitive compared to competing EU countries like Sweden, Italy, and Hungary who are abolishing their aviation taxes to promote connectivity, traffic, jobs, and economic growth. In stark contrast, Denmark has bizarrely introduced an aviation tax, which has resulted in the loss of over 1.7m seats, 32 routes and 2 aircraft, as well as associated investment and jobs.

Ryanair’s Billund based pilots and cabin crew have been notified of this base closure, and they are being offered similar positions at other bases within the Ryanair Group network.

A Ryanair spokesperson said:

“We are very disappointed to announce the closure of our 2 aircraft Billund base and our operations at Aalborg from the end of March, but we have been left with no other choice following the Danish Govt’s short-sighted decision to introduce a harmful aviation tax from Jan 2025.

Ryanair is the only major airline growing in Europe, and cost is the main factor when deciding where to allocate aircraft and growth. Unfortunately, this harmful aviation tax makes Denmark (especially regional Denmark) hopelessly uncompetitive compared to other EU countries, like Sweden, Hungary, and Italian regions, who are abolishing aviation taxes to stimulate traffic recovery and growth. As a result, Denmark’s connectivity, traffic, jobs, economic recovery, and growth will suffer irreparable damage – particularly in regional airports where they are reliant on efficient, low-cost air travel – as this capacity (1.7m seats, 32 routes, and 2 aircraft) is reallocated to lower cost airports elsewhere in the extensive Ryanair Group.”