URGES LATVIAN GOVT & RIGA AIRPORT TO REDUCE ACCESS COSTS TO GROW LATVIAN TRAFFIC, TOURISM & JOBS

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Thurs, 9 Oct) announced it will reduce its Riga Winter ‘25 capacity by 160,000 seats (-20%) and cut 7 international routes – Aarhus, Berlin, Edinburgh, Gdansk, Gothenburg, Memmingen, and Paris Beauvais due to rising access costs (airport fees, aviation tax), which make Riga less competitive as traffic remains below pre-Covid levels (90%).

Since Ryanair opened its Riga base in Nov ‘21, access costs have risen, while competitor countries such as Italy, Hungary, Poland, and Albania are abolishing aviation taxes and reducing airport charges to drive traffic and tourism growth. Ryanair has presented an ambitious growth plan to the Latvian Govt to double Riga’s traffic by +1.7m passengers (to 3.4m), base two additional aircraft (US$200m incremental investment) and launch 14 new routes over the next five years. However, this growth can only be delivered if Riga Airport and the Latvian Govt reduce airport charges and abolish the aviation tax.

Ryanair’s CCO, Jason McGuinness, said:

“Ryanair regrets being forced to reduce our Riga Winter ‘25 capacity by 20% (160,000 seats) and cancel 7 international routes. These cuts follow rising access costs at Riga Airport – which have increased by 15% since Ryanair opened its Riga base in 2021. Uncompetitive access costs only serve to undermine Latvia’s traffic recovery – which remains 10% below pre-Covid levels – and has directly resulted in the loss of routes, reduced connectivity.

While countries like Albania, Poland, Sweden, and Italy are lowering access costs and abolishing aviation taxes to stimulate traffic growth, rising costs at Riga Airport is stifling expansion and putting hundreds of jobs at risk. Recently the Latvian Govt. and Riga Airport have committed to improving the competitiveness of Latvian Aviation, subject to which, Ryanair will prioritise Latvia for more low-fare seats, new routes, and additional based aircraft.

We are working with Riga Airport and the Latvian Govt. and hope in the near future to grow traffic, tourism, and jobs.