Ryanair, Hungary’s no. 1 airline, today (12 Aug) announced that it will cancel 8 routes and cut flights on a further 7 routes from its Budapest base this winter in direct response to the Hungarian Govt’s stupid and bizarre “excess profits” tax on airlines (who have reported record losses during Covid) and Hungarian citizens/visitors. This tax of between €10 and €25 per departing passenger, which was imposed on loss making airlines from 1^st July 22, is already damaging Hungarian tourism, connectivity, traffic and jobs as evidenced by these latest winter cuts.

Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary said:

“We regret these route and flight cuts which are caused solely by the stupid and illogical decision of the Hungarian Govt to impose an “excess profits” on the loss making airline industry which now makes flying to/from Hungary more expensive and less competitive.

Applying an “excess profits” tax to the loss making airline sector in Hungary is inexplicable, and only succeeds in raising flight costs to/from Hungary when other Central European airports have lower costs and no idiotic “excess profits” tax either. These routes and flights will be switched to other lower cost neighbouring countries like Slovakia, Austria, Croatia and Romania, none of which have any idiotic “excess profits” tax on loss making airlines.

All Hungarian passengers affected by these W22/23 route closures and frequency cuts from November will receive email notifications in the coming days, offering them full refunds or alternative flights to/from lower cost airports than Budapest for W22/23.“

ENDS