Ryanair Cuts 25 French Routes Over Soaring Air Taxes
Winter flights slashed as airline criticises France’s 180% tax hike and warns of tourism, connectivity, and job losses
Flights Cancelled to Bergerac, Brive, and Strasbourg
Ryanair is cutting all flights this winter to Bergerac, Brive, and Strasbourg following France’s steep increase in airline ticket taxes. This affects several UK routes from Bergerac and Brive, including links to London, Edinburgh, Bristol, and Liverpool.
The airline also served destinations in Morocco, Portugal, Spain, and Belgium from these airports, all of which are now impacted. Overall, Ryanair will cut 25 flight routes in France this winter, slashing 750,000 seats and reducing national capacity by 13 percent.
Major Cuts at Marseille, Paris-Beauvais, and Toulouse
Ryanair is also cutting winter seat availability at major French airports, citing the unprofitability of routes due to rising costs. Marseille will see a 9% seat reduction, Paris-Beauvais 8%, and Toulouse 4%, with regional airports seeing an even steeper decline.
Combined, regional airports with winter service will see a 27% decrease in Ryanair seat capacity across all scheduled flights. Ryanair has not confirmed whether any of these services will resume for the 2026 summer season or beyond.
Tax Rise Triggered the Cuts, Says Airline
Ryanair blames the French government’s decision to increase the airline ticket tax by 180% for the drastic capacity reduction. Chief commercial officer Jason McGuinness criticised France’s rising costs and lack of post-COVID recovery incentives for aviation.
He said that rather than supporting growth, France is driving airlines away with excessive taxation and unmanageable airport fees. “These taxes make it impossible to operate regional flights during the winter,” he said in an official press release.
France’s Air Ticket Taxes Among Highest in Europe
France’s taxes vary by airport and destination but are among the highest in the European Union following the recent hike. Passengers from Paris pay €12.11 for UK-bound flights and up to €27.88 for long-haul destinations, on top of solidarity taxes.
The “Chirac tax,” introduced to fund medicine for developing nations, now adds €7.40 for short-haul and €40 for long-haul flights. By comparison, Germany’s tax begins at €15 and the UK charges as little as £7, making France less competitive.
Regional Airports Blindsided by the Announcement
Bergerac Airport stated it was not warned and found out about the cuts through media reports, preparing a response later that day. A spokesperson added that the impact would be lessened due to planned runway resurfacing in January and February 2026.
Officials at Brive and Strasbourg airports declined to comment, and no detailed exit timeline was provided by Ryanair. Ryanair also ended services at Vatry airport earlier this year, citing similar issues around costs and profitability.
Controversy Around Ryanair’s Deals With French Airports
Ryanair’s past dealings with French regional airports have been scrutinised due to financial incentives and marketing contracts. Limoges airport is under ongoing judicial investigation regarding payments made to Ryanair under such promotional arrangements.
In 2024, the EU ordered Ryanair to repay €14 million to Frankfurt-Hahn Airport and €8.5 million to Montpellier Airport. Similar disputes in Angoulême and Bordeaux led to flight cancellations and passenger numbers dropping by over 13%.
Air Traffic Strikes Add to Ryanair’s Frustration
Adding to its complaints, Ryanair cited widespread delays during French air traffic controller strikes earlier this month. The July 3 – 4 strike caused over 3,000 cancellations and affected 7,000 more flights across Europe, many of them Ryanair’s.
The airline again called on the EU to protect “overflights” from such disruption during domestic strikes in France. It said the recurring chaos costs airlines millions and undermines confidence in France’s aviation stability and infrastructure.
A Warning – Or a Bargaining Chip?
Ryanair says it is willing to reinvest in France if the government rolls back its “harmful” tax policy on airline tickets. The airline offered to invest $2.5 billion in France, adding 25 new aircraft, doubling traffic, and creating 750 regional jobs.
Until then, it says it will redirect planes and passengers to more competitive markets like Hungary, Italy, and Sweden. Unless the French government reconsiders its position, Ryanair’s drastic cuts could mark the beginning of a wider aviation pullback.