Ryanair will withdraw three aircraft from Vienna and cancel three routes—Billund, Santander, and Tallinn—during the winter 2025 schedule, citing Austria’s €12 air travel tax and rising airport charges, which the airline says make the country uncompetitive.
Despite Ryanair’s 160% growth in Austria since COVID-19, national traffic has not fully recovered, currently at 98% of pre-crisis levels.
CEO Michael O’Leary called on the Austrian government to abolish the tax and lower charges, pointing to Sweden, Hungary, and Italy as examples of countries that boosted tourism by cutting costs. Ryanair warned that without policy changes, it will further reduce Austrian operations and shift capacity to cheaper markets.
If reforms are introduced, Ryanair pledged a $1 billion growth plan, including 10 new Boeing 737-8200s in Vienna, 40 new routes, 12 million annual passengers by 2030, and over 1,000 new jobs.