Ryanair Walks Away From France – More Airports To Lose Flights In 2026

Holidaymakers who emotion their speedy hops to France whitethorn soon struggle to find those convenient low-cost flights. Ryanair has confirmed that much routes will vanish from its French web adjacent summertime – pinch nan hose increasing progressively vocal astir why.

The carrier’s Chief Commercial Officer Jason McGuinness didn’t mince his words during a caller question and reply pinch French outlet Challenges. France, he said, is becoming “less and little relevant” for Ryanair. A steep emergence successful hose taxes past twelvemonth – peculiarly achy for short-haul, low-fare services – has pushed respective location airports into what nan hose calls an “unviable” operating environment.

Ryanair had already pulled retired of 3 airports this winter, including Bergerac and Brive, and several different destinations person seen schedules trimmed back. Some flights will temporarily return for nan summertime season, but passengers should not expect a afloat comeback.

McGuinness confirmed that much French airports will suffer Ryanair services entirely, explaining that nan institution is still finalising its summertime 2026 network. But nan guidance of recreation is clear: less planes pointed towards France.

Why Ryanair is turning its backmost connected France

This latest simplification isn’t astir struggling request – rather nan opposite. Ryanair continues to study grounds profits and grounds rider numbers. The problem, according to nan airline, lies firmly pinch authorities policy.

France introduced a crisp hike connected formation taxes astatine nan commencement of 2025, expanding nan complaint connected an system summons wrong Europe from €2.63 to €7.30 – a emergence of astir 180 per cent. On low-margin routes to smaller airports, those costs simply overwhelm nan business model.

“When you raise taxes by 180 per cent successful Bergerac aliases Brive, it makes those airports economically unviable for us,” McGuinness said, stressing that each euro counts successful location aviation.

He besides warned that France is losing retired to much aviation-friendly neighbours. Ryanair is shifting maturation towards Sweden and Italy, wherever governments are cutting – not raising – manufacture taxes.

To make matters worse, nan hose faces delayed craft deliveries and ongoing motor shortages, meaning each craft successful nan fleet needs to activity harder – and gain more. If France can’t present profit, Ryanair will alert elsewhere.

A mislaid chance for location France

What genuinely stings for French officials is really overmuch Ryanair was erstwhile prepared to stake connected them. Before nan taxation change, nan hose sounded Paris a bold description proposal: double nan number of French passengers to 30 cardinal by 2030, unfastened caller craft bases astatine 25 airports and boost its routes from 250 to 540.

It would person been location France – not Paris – that reaped nan rewards.

Those plans are now shelved. In fact, McGuinness confirmed that nary of nan 300 caller craft Ryanair expects betwixt 2027 and 2033 will beryllium deployed successful France unless thing changes.

In nan sadistic conflict for constricted European aviation capacity, France has quickly slipped down nan privilege list.

And for travellers? There’s each chance immoderate favourite sunny-summer routes mightiness softly vanish from booking apps – particularly those connecting smaller hubs known for châteaux, beaches and easy wine-country escapes.

France whitethorn still beryllium a apical vacation dream, but without a rethink connected taxes, Ryanair seems fresh to time off that dream for others to service.

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