Ryanair threatens Belgium because of taxes: thousands of flight cancellations

Ryanair justifies its threats with planned tax increases. As of January 1st, the Belgian government wants to double the tax on long-haul flight tickets from the current five euros to ten euros. For short journeys of less than 500 kilometers – for example to London, Paris or Frankfurt – ten euros are due in Belgium.

O’Leary even speaks of a fivefold increase compared to January 2025. At that time, the tax for long-haul flights was two to four euros, and an increase followed last summer. “Only the Belgian government could be so stupid as to increase aviation taxes fivefold,” O’Leary fumed.

According to the low-cost airline, there will be 11.6 million passengers in Belgium in 2025

In addition, the city of Charleroi is planning its own tax of three euros per passenger. Low-cost airlines such as Ryanair, Wizzair and Pegasus take off and land at the airport there, a good 60 kilometers south of the capital. The airlines are likely to pass on a large part of the increases to their customers, so that prices rise.

Ryanair said it flew 11.6 million passengers to and from Belgium last year. The group called on Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever and the city of Charleroi to withdraw their “stupid tax increases”.

O’Leary also threatened Austria and withdrew planes from Vienna

O’Leary has also repeatedly demanded and threatened tax cuts in Austria. Five of the 19 Boeing planes were withdrawn from Vienna-Schwechat. O’Leary blamed the federal government, which is sticking with the airline ticket tax, for the deduction. Other fees are also not appropriate from the manager’s point of view.