Ryanair will scale back operations in France this winter due to steep increases in air travel taxes, CEO Michael O’Leary said, accusing the government of “shooting itself in both feet.”
The airline will stop services to Bergerac, Brive, and Strasbourg, cutting French flights by 13%. O’Leary said a rise in France’s “solidarity tax” on tickets—from €2.63 to €7.40—makes these routes unprofitable.
He claimed France prefers taxes to growth and has recovered poorly from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ryanair had offered to double passenger numbers in France if aviation taxes were scrapped, but will now move aircraft to lower-cost countries.
Air France-KLM’s CEO has also criticised the tax as “irresponsible.”
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot, however, dismissed O’Leary’s remarks as an excuse to avoid social and fiscal obligations, accusing Ryanair of extreme cost-cutting.
