Ryanair slashes 1 million seats from Belgium schedule due to aviation tax hike

Ryanair announced significant reductions to its Belgian winter 2026/2027 schedule, slashing 1 million seats, withdrawing five aircraft, and eliminating 20 routes. This move, representing a 22 percent service reduction, is projected to result in a $500 million loss in investments for the low-cost carrier. Both Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport will experience the impact of these capacity cuts. The airline attributed these drastic measures to the Belgian government's decision to double its aviation tax to €10 per departing passenger from 2027. Additionally, the Charleroi city council has proposed a further €3 tax per departing passenger starting next year. Ryanair's Chief Commercial Officer, Jason McGuinness, stated that these combined costs render Belgium "completely uncompetitive" compared to other EU nations like Sweden, Hungary, Italy, and Slovakia, which are actively abolishing similar aviation taxes. McGuinness warned that if the Charleroi tax proceeds, further flight and aircraft reductions at Charleroi could occur as early as April 2026, jeopardizing thousands of local jobs. He urged the Belgian government to abolish the tax rather than increase it. This development follows Germany's recent reversal of its own aviation levies after airlines, including Ryanair and easyJet, reduced capacity in the country. Ryanair previously cut its German winter schedule, leading to the loss of 800,000 seats and 24 routes across nine airports, citing "excessive" access costs. The Irish carrier has also implemented flight reductions to the Azores and France this year, similarly driven by tax hikes and increased airport fees in those regions.