Ryanair, the largest airline in Europe, has expressed its concerns over the French government's plan to increase passenger taxes at 10 regional airports in France. The proposed tax hike, amounting to a whopping 260%, is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2025. In response to this, the budget airline has warned that it may have to reduce its services at these airports if the tax increase is implemented.

In a statement released on November 20, 2024, Ryanair urged the French government to reconsider its decision, stating that the significant rise in passenger taxes would disproportionately affect ordinary citizens and regional France, while exempting wealthier travelers. The airline pointed out that France's air traffic recovery is already trailing behind other European countries due to existing aviation taxes.

The airline emphasized that higher air travel taxes would lead to increased costs for passengers, making France less competitive as a tourist destination and hindering airline investment in regional airports. Ryanair highlighted the contrasting approaches taken by countries like Sweden, Hungary, and Italy, which are either abolishing or reducing air travel taxes to promote connectivity and economic growth.

In response to the potential tax increase, Ryanair has begun evaluating its flight schedules in France and indicated that it may need to reduce capacity by 50% at regional airports starting in January 2025. Jason McGuinness, Ryanair's Chief Commercial Officer, criticized the French government's proposal as short-sighted and detrimental to the aviation industry's recovery.

Over the years, Ryanair has taken a firm stance against tax hikes by either withdrawing services or threatening to do so. The airline previously announced the cancellation of flights to three German airports due to high taxes and fees imposed by the German government. On a more positive note, Ryanair responded favorably to the Swedish government's decision to eliminate aviation taxes, planning to increase flights and create new routes in Sweden, thereby boosting job opportunities and economic growth in the country.