Ryanair threatens to slash 1m seats on Brussels routes

Airline plans to cut 20 routes in row over taxes on passenger tickets

Ryanair said on Tuesday it would cut 1m seats and 20 routes from its Brussels 2026/27 winter schedule over Belgium's decision to raise tax on air passenger tickets to €10 from 2027. Picture: PA

Ryanair said on Tuesday it would cut 1m seats and 20 routes from its Brussels 2026/27 winter schedule over Belgium's decision to raise tax on air passenger tickets to €10 from 2027.

Belgium's tax increase comes as Germany reversed course on its own aviation levies after carriers, including Ryanair and EasyJet, reduced capacity in the country.

"Ryanair calls again on prime minister (Bart) De Wever and his government to abolish the aviation tax or Belgian traffic will collapse and fares will soar," the airline said in a statement.

The Irish low-cost airline said it will also remove five aircraft from its Brussels Charleroi airport, representing a loss of €430m in investment, and axe 20 routes across its Belgian operations.

Charleroi city council's proposal to add another €3 per departing passenger from next year could trigger even deeper cuts from April 2026 and put thousands of local jobs at risk, said Ryanair’s Chief Commercial Officer, Jason McGuinness.

“The De Wever government has bizarrely decided to further increase Belgium’s already sky-high aviation tax by another +100% from January 2027, on top of the +150% in July last. These repeated increases to this harmful aviation tax make Belgium completely uncompetitive compared to the many other EU countries, like Sweden, Hungary, Italy, and Slovakia, where governments are abolishing aviation taxes to drive traffic, tourism, and jobs," said Mr McGuinness.

Reuters