Cork Airport loses Rome and Polish routes as Ryanair shifts capacity

Ryanair will axe three Cork routes in 2026 after shifting an aircraft to Shannon over airport cost differences

Ryanair aircraft at Cork Airport. Picture: David Creedon

Ryanair will remove three popular routes from Cork Airport in 2026 after relocating one of its four aircraft to another airport.

The budget airline will stop flying from Cork to the Polish cities of Gdańsk and Poznań, as well as to Rome, Cork Airport has confirmed. Flights to Poznań will end on March 26, with services to Gdańsk and Rome ceasing on March 28.

Last July, Ryanair announced plans to move one aircraft from Cork to Shannon, citing lower fees at the mid-west airport. As a result, Cork Airport now has three Ryanair aircraft based there, while Shannon has four.

At the time, the airline also unveiled three new Shannon routes for its winter schedule — Madrid, Madeira, and Lapland — saying the additions would boost passenger numbers by about 20%.

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, a Ryanair spokesperson said the decision to cut the Cork routes was due to “lower-cost options elsewhere across the network.”

Cork Airport is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), while the Shannon Airport Group operates Shannon Airport.

Ryanair has repeatedly called on the DAA to reduce airport charges. Ryanair chief commercial officer Jason McGuinness previously told the Irish Examiner: "We allocate capacity wherever costs are best and where we can get the best long-term deals. 

"If the DAA want to come up with something better in terms of its cost base for Cork, we’re very happy to talk to them.”

In a statement, Cork Airport communications manager Barry Holland said: "In a fast‑moving aviation industry, airlines regularly adjust their schedules to meet demand to optimise their aircraft fleet. 

"Cork Airport continues to perform strongly, with record passenger numbers and sustained growth. Looking ahead to 2026, we’ve already announced three new routes for this summer, including Nice, Santiago de Compostela, and Antalya, building on the new services added in 2025. 

"As part of Ryanair’s wider schedule changes, Gdańsk, Poznań and Rome won’t feature in Cork Airport’s summer 2026 programme. However, we remain confident in the continued expansion of our route network and the strong demand from passengers across the south of Ireland."

Cork Airport recorded its busiest year on record in 2025, handling 3.46m passengers over the 12 months — a 13% increase and its third consecutive year of double-digit growth.

Passenger numbers at Shannon have also surged, with 2025 expected to be another record year following the addition of a fourth Ryanair aircraft. Shannon handled 2.1m passengers in 2024.