-1M SEATS, -5 AIRCRAFT, -20 ROUTES & THOUSANDS OF JOBS AT RISK

Ryanair, Europe’s No. 1 airline, today (Tues, 9 Dec) announced it will cut -1m seats (-22%), 5 based aircraft (loss of US$500m investment), and 20 routes from its Brussels Winter 26/27 schedule as a result of the Belgian Govt’s backward decision to double its harmful aviation tax to €10 per departing passenger from 2027, and the Charleroi city council’s proposal to introduce a  €3 per departing passenger tax from next year on passengers travelling from the airport. This significant increase to access costs – which was already hiked up +150% in July (just 5 months ago) – makes Belgium completely uncompetitive compared to other EU markets like Sweden, Hungary, Italy, and Slovakia, where Govts are abolishing aviation taxes to drive traffic, tourism, and jobs. Even Germany has now recognised that aviation taxes don’t work and has revised its decision to increase aviation taxes.

If the Govt really wants to revive Belgium’s economy, they should abolish this harmful aviation tax to generate more traffic and tourism, not double it. Ryanair calls again on Prime Minister De Wever and his Govt to abolish the aviation tax or Belgian traffic will collapse and fares will soar, just as they have done in Austria & Germany, where Govt’s repeatedly increased access costs. Ryanair has today (Tues, 9 Dec) written to Prime Minister De Wever, Transport Minister Crucke, Wallonia Minister of Airports, Cécile Neven, and the Mayor of Charleroi, Thomas Dermine, to call for the reversal of these increases.

Ryanair’s Jason McGuinness said:

“The De Wever Govt has bizarrely decided to further increase Belgium’s already sky-high aviation tax by another +100% from Jan 2027, on top of the +150% in July last. These repeated increases to this harmful aviation tax make Belgium completely uncompetitive compared to the many other EU countries, like Sweden, Hungary, Italy, and Slovakia, where Govts are abolishing aviation taxes to drive traffic, tourism, and jobs. As a result of this second tax hike in just 5 months, Ryanair has been forced to cut -22% of its Brussels traffic (-1m seats), -5 aircraft from our Charleroi base (loss of US$500m investment), and 20 routes (13 from Charleroi & 7 from Zaventem) for Winter 26/27. Should the Charleroi city council proceed with its ill-judged proposal to introduce further taxes on passengers departing from Charleroi next year, these cuts will deepen as Ryanair will be forced to reduce flights, routes and based aircraft at Charleroi from as early as April 2026 with thousands of local jobs at risk.

If Prime Minister De Wever and his Govt really wanted to revive Belgium’s economy, they should abolish this harmful aviation tax, not double it. Despite so many other EU countries taking this step to support their economies, Belgium is going in the opposite direction, driving up access costs and pushing airlines and tourism elsewhere. We urge Prime Minister De Wever to scrap this damaging aviation tax before Belgian’s traffic, tourism, jobs, and the wider economy collapse any further. Furthermore, the Charleroi city council needs to abandon its lunatic plans to increase taxes driving job losses with the effect of lowering payroll, VAT and corporate tax receipts for the local economy.”