Only a day after the Walloon government decided to abolish the proposed Charleroi Airport passenger tax, Ryanair has confirmed it will operate its full Summer 2026 schedule from the airport, reversing weeks of uncertainty over capacity cuts in Belgium.
In a statement released on Friday, the Irish low-cost carrier welcomed Wallonia’s decision, announcing it will offer 7.5 million seats from Charleroi next summer — a 9% increase compared to Summer 2025 — across 112 routes. Ryanair had previously warned that the introduction of additional aviation taxes would force it to reduce capacity, aircraft and passenger numbers at Belgian airports.
However, while praising the regional government’s move, Ryanair renewed its criticism of the federal aviation tax, which it says has increased fivefold since July 2025. The airline warned that unless the federal government reverses the increase, more than 2 million seats could still be cut at Charleroi from October 2026 onwards, with knock-on effects for jobs and tourism in Wallonia.