Ryanair Is Now Slashing Winter Seats, France Travelers Shift To Friendlier Airports: Here’s What You Need To Know

Published on August 11, 2025 |

Ryanair is reducing its wintertime capacity successful France by 13%, removing astir 750,000 seats and cancelling 25 routes. It is besides ending its operations astatine Bergerac, Brive, and Strasbourg airports. This move follows a steep summation successful France’s aerial recreation tax, which nan hose says has made galore routes unprofitable.

Why nan cuts matter for travelers

Leisure travelers from various location airports will look reduced formation options. Bergerac will nary longer person immoderate Ryanair flights which supported leisure travelers coming to Dordogne. Strasbourg, celebrated for its Christmas markets, will now suffer nonstop flights from respective locations. These changes will apt thrust travelers to larger airports and different airlines.

What Ryanair is Saying

Winter visitors will suffer much routes astatine these location airports. For leisure travelers flying to nan Dordogne region, Bergerac will suffer each Ryanair services. Strasbourg will suffer nonstop flights from respective regions, which diminishes its accessibility. As a result, travelers will apt beryllium pushed to larger airports aliases different airlines. The bearer claims that higher aerial taxes stifle maturation successful nan French market.

Passengers from different European countries, for illustration Sweden and Hungary, person benefitted from nan simplification of aerial taxes, which intends to promote tourism. With nan information of nary taxation increase, Ryanair projected a multi-year finance scheme which included much aircraft, doubled rider numbers, and hundreds of caller jobs.

The Official Response

French officials person pushed backmost connected Ryanair’s stance, pointing retired that nan hose besides has responsibilities erstwhile it comes to societal and fiscal matters. The authorities shows nary motion of reversing nan taxation hike, citing biology and nationalist backing priorities.

What it Means for Travelers

If you planned a wintertime travel via Bergerac, Brive, aliases Strasbourg pinch Ryanair, your plans will request to change. You mightiness person to depart from larger French hubs for illustration Bordeaux, Lyon, aliases Paris. For those heading to nan Dordogne aliases Alsace regions, this could mean longer transportation times aliases higher wide recreation costs.

Several different airports, including Marseille, Paris-Beauvais, and Toulouse, are besides facing spot reductions. Even if your way is not cancelled, less seats could lead to higher prices during highest vacation periods.

Broader Impact connected Tourism and Jobs

Local tourism boards and location businesses are expected to consciousness nan impact. Hotels, restaurants, and seasonal attractions successful affected areas whitethorn spot less visitors, particularly during nan wintertime months erstwhile each tourer counts. Reduced aerial links besides make it harder for these regions to marketplace themselves to world travelers.

For immoderate smaller airports, Ryanair’s withdrawal poses an moreover greater risk. Without accordant rider traffic, maintaining operations becomes financially challenging. The nonaccomplishment of moreover 1 awesome bearer tin beryllium capable to extremity an airdrome into semipermanent diminution aliases closure.

Travel Planning Tips – Stay Ahead

To debar disruption, cheque your wintertime formation options arsenic early arsenic possible. If your preferred airdrome has mislaid Ryanair services, comparison schedules from replacement carriers. EasyJet, for example, whitethorn connection caller connections to immoderate affected areas.

Take into relationship nan wide expenses related to travel. Smaller airports whitethorn person accrued summons prices now because location are less fund hose services. Is nan comfortableness facet of walking to a location nearer to your past extremity justifiable against nan accrued expenses?

If you still scheme to sojourn regions for illustration Dordogne aliases Alsace, you whitethorn request to alert into a larger hub and recreation onward by train aliases car. This tin adhd a furniture of readying but besides opens nan doorway to seeing much of France on nan way.

Why Travelers Should Care About Air Taxes

Air taxes are not conscionable an hose issue. They tin straight impact wherever and really often group fly. When taxes make definite routes unprofitable, airlines thin to trim them. This leaves travelers pinch less nonstop options, perchance higher fares, and much analyzable journeys.

For occasional leisure travelers, knowing these changes tin thief make amended booking decisions. In immoderate cases, booking acold successful advance, aliases being flexible, does person its perks moreover pinch a reduced capacity.

Summary – What You Need To Know

• Ryanair cuts wintertime seats successful France by 13%
• Bergerac, Brive, and Strasbourg airports suffer each Ryanair flights
• Several different airports look smaller reductions successful capacity
• Higher aerial taxes are driving nan changes
• Regional tourism and section economies will consciousness nan impact
• Travelers should scheme early and see replacement airports and carriers