Ryanair has decided to reduce the number of available seats for a popular city break destination known for its Christmas market, historic landmarks, and significant business activities. This move comes as a response to an increase in aviation taxes imposed by the Belgian government. Ryanair expressed their discontent with this decision and stated that they would be cutting two million seats across two major airports in the country.
Belgium’s Federal Government announced a plan to raise the aviation tax from €5 to €7 starting in January 2027. Despite Ryanair’s claim of a “250% increase since 2025,” the airline plans to remove five aircraft from its base at Brussels South Charleroi Airport and decrease overall capacity by two million seats at Charleroi and Zaventem airports for the winter 2026 and summer 2027 schedules.
Earlier this year, Ryanair also made reductions in flight services to Spain and Portugal, impacting smaller regional airports the most. Destinations like Valladolid, Jerez, Asturias, and Vigo experienced service cuts, and routes to the Azores were eliminated, affecting around 400,000 passengers. These decisions were attributed to escalating airport charges and environmental taxes related to the EU Emissions Trading System.
In response to the cuts in Belgium, Ryanair’s CEO, Eddie Wilson, criticized the government’s decision to raise aviation taxes and highlighted the airline’s intention to shift operations to more competitive markets. The airline expressed disappointment in the lack of consideration for the impact on traffic and tourism. With these adjustments, Ryanair aims to navigate the changing landscape of aviation regulations and maintain its competitiveness in the industry.
