In a sector where margins are increasingly tight and strategic decisions become decisive, airlines are constantly looking for ways to balance costs and profitability. The increase in airport taxes in several European countries is now forcing one of the largest low cost carriers in the world, Ryanair, to redesign its route network and reevaluate its presence in several airports.
The Irish company Ryanair, known for its competitive prices and its weight in the European market, announced that it will drastically reduce its operations at several European airports. France, Germany, Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Spain are among the countries affected by this decision, which comes as a direct response to the increase in airport fees and taxes, considered excessive by the company, according to the digital newspaper specializing in economics and business ECO.
Rising costs push strategy towards new destinations
The carrier, which presents itself as the largest group in the sector in Europe, transporting around 200 thousand passengers per day on 3,600 flights from 90 bases, now intends to reinforce its presence in markets with lower costs and greater growth potential. Italy (except Rome), Sweden, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Albania and Morocco are among the priority destinations of the new strategy.
In Spain, for example, the concessionaire Aena plans to increase fares by 6.5% in 2026, bringing them to an average of 11 euros per passenger. This is a significant increase after a decade of freezing, and which Ryanair considers unsustainable for its operations on several routes.
External pressure and lack of planes complicate the scenario
The decision is not just about airport costs. Industry experts, cited by the same source, warn that the carrier faces the same problem as many competitors: a shortage of aircraft. Delays in deliveries by Airbus and Boeing have limited expansion and forced the concentration of resources on the most profitable routes.
At the same time, the reduction or cancellation of subsidies by local authorities, often used to promote destinations through airlines, has worsened the situation. The absence of these incentives makes many routes less attractive and economically unviable.
France and Germany among the most affected
France will be one of the markets most affected by these changes. Ryanair will stop operating at Bergerac, Brive and Strasbourg airports, cutting 25 connections during the winter, which represents a loss of 750,000 seats, around 13% of the country’s supply. Furthermore, there will be significant reductions in operations in Paris-Beauvais (8%), Marseille (9%) and Toulouse (4%), according to the same source.
In Germany, the company will remove around 800,000 seats, corresponding to 10% of the planned supply. Among the abandoned routes are flights from major cities such as Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne. Despite this, Ryanair intends to strengthen its presence in regional airports where rates are more competitive.
Austria, Baltic and Northern Europe also suffer cuts
Austria is no exception to the changes, with the elimination of three connections from Vienna: Billund (Denmark), Santander (Spain) and Tallinn (Estonia), justified by the 30% increase in rates since the pandemic.
In the Baltic, the scenario is equally negative: in Riga, Latvia, the company will reduce capacity by 20%, and in Lithuania there will be no expansion due to rising fares at Vilnius and Palanga airports.
The most drastic situation occurs in Estonia, where supply will fall by 40%, equivalent to 110,000 seats and five international connections, according to the source previously mentioned. Fees at Tallinn airport increased by 70%, leading the company to drastically reduce operations, after previously cutting 45% of supply.
Portugal wins routes, but Lisbon is left out
Portugal appears as an exception in this wave of cuts. Ryanair’s executive chairman, Michael O’Leary, announced in September new routes from Porto, Faro and Funchal for the winter season.
Lisbon, however, will remain outside the company’s plans, which continues to criticize TAP’s privatization model and the impasse surrounding the new Lisbon airport. O’Leary even returned to defending the Montijo solution and the total sale of the national carrier.
With this strategic repositioning, Ryanair makes it clear that its priority is to operate where the cost-benefit ratio pays off, according to . As rates rise and subsidies decrease, low-cost companies like Ireland show that they do not hesitate to abandon markets considered uncompetitive, even if this means leaving millions of passengers without a direct alternative.
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