Ryanair Demands Abolition of Air Traffic Tax from Future Government

Andreas Gruber, managing director of the budget airline Laudamotion, which belongs to Ryanair, emphasised on Tuesday at a media event at Salzburg Airport that this air traffic tax is the third largest in Europe after the Netherlands and Germany. If the tax were to be abolished, the airline plans to grow by another 50 percent in Austria.

Ryanair Sees Its Growth Hindered by Air Traffic Tax

In the majority of European countries, there is no air traffic tax at all, according to Gruber. "Sweden, Italy, Hungary, and Poland are lowering taxes, Ryanair is increasing capacity in return. In Sweden, two new aircraft were immediately grounded. Austria must follow suit." The tax severely restricts growth, especially since aviation in Austria is still not at the pre-Corona level, unlike many other countries. "Higher taxes and fees mean higher tariffs - and thus slower growth." Gruber promised: "As soon as taxes are reduced, traffic, tourism, and jobs will grow." There is also a need for action on other fees - albeit not to the same extent as with the air traffic tax. One could, for example, adjust the airport fees, which will increase by five percent in Austria in 2025. "The security fees and the fees for Air Traffic Control (ATC) are also increasing. This is a vicious circle that is getting longer and longer." Ryanair wants to focus on countries that accommodate the airline.

Budget Airline Ryanair Largest Airline in Europe

That this is not an empty threat is shown by the situation in Germany. Due to high taxes and an increase in the air traffic tax "to close budget gaps", as Gruber put it, Ryanair is withdrawing from the three German airports Dortmund, Dresden and Halle/Leipzig at the end of March. The offer will be reduced in Hamburg, Berlin and Cologne/Bonn. Ryanair, with around 3,600 flights a day and a current fleet of 608 aircraft, is the largest airline in Europe. It serves 235 airports in 37 countries, with aircraft stationed at 35 airports - this is the case in Vienna in Austria. Ryanair recently transported around 200 million passengers a year and at the same time declared a 'decade of growth'. By 2034, the number of passengers is expected to rise to 300 million.

Ryanair Expects Increase in Austria

From Austria, Ryanair serves over 90 routes from the airports Vienna, Salzburg, Linz and Klagenfurt, with 19 aircraft stationed in Schwechat. In Austria, the Irish budget airline expects seven million passengers this year - an increase of 15 percent. With a market share of around 20 percent, it is the number 1 in Austria after the Lufthansa Group. Ryanair employs 27,000 people across the group, 700 of whom are in Austria - mainly pilots, flight attendants, technicians and a small administrative team.

(APA/Red)

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