DUE TO RISING AIRPORT COSTS AND TAXES

MAASTRICHT BECOMING ONE OF EUROPE’S MOST EXPENSIVE AIRPORTS DUE TO EXCESSIVE COST INCREASES AS EVIDENCED BY FAILURE TO RECOVER PRE-COVID TRAFFIC

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Thurs, 29 May) cancelled all its flights to Maastricht Airport from 26 Oct 2025 due to the Airport’s decision to substantially increase airport costs, making Maastricht one of the most expensive airports in Europe. Uncompetitive airport costs combined with the Govt’s rising aviation taxes will irreparably damage Dutch connectivity, which has already been evidenced by Maastricht Airport’s failure to recover traffic at just 50% of pre-Covid levels. Since the Dutch Govt introduced its fake “eco tax” in 2021 – which illogically exempts the most polluting connecting passengers flying on older aircraft – the tax has increased by more than 275% to almost €30 per passenger.

As a result of Maastricht’s excessive cost increases, Ryanair has cancelled all Maastricht flights from 26 Oct 2025, resulting in the loss of 150,000 seats p.a. and 5 direct connections. This capacity will migrate to more competitive European countries such as Sweden, Italy, and Poland, who are reducing airport costs and abolishing aviation taxes to stimulate traffic recovery and growth.

Ryanair’s CCO Jason McGuinness said:

“Ryanair is disappointed to announce the removal of all our flights to Maastricht Airport from 26 October 2025, which comes as a result of the Airport’s excessive cost increases and the Dutch Govt’s soaring aviation taxes of almost €30 per passenger, which have increased by +275% since 2021. These significant cost increases make Maastricht Airport one of the most expensive airports in Europe and completely uncompetitive compared to other countries and low-cost airports elsewhere in Europe, who are reducing airport costs and abolishing aviation taxes to stimulate traffic recovery and growth.

Ryanair continues to grow traffic (this year from 200m to 206m) by offering unbeatable low fares to customers across Europe at airports that have low access costs. Maastricht’s sky-high costs are damaging its connectivity, as evidenced by the Airport’s failure to recover its traffic post-Covid, lagging far behind the rest of Europe at just 50% of pre-Covid traffic in 2024 – a figure set to fall even further following Ryanair’s exit.”