Ryanair chief outlines flight reduction plan for France
Airline will not withdraw from regional routes but says France is ‘uncompetitive’ for airlines
Ryanair has threatened to withdraw services from 10 regional French airports
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Low-cost carrier Ryanair will ‘reduce’ the number of flights to regional airports in France in the coming months – but will not completely axe regional services as it previously threatened.
The number of Ryanair flights to and from France will drop by between 4% and 5%, the company’s CEO Michael O’Leary stated at an industry gathering in Brussels on Thursday (March 27).
“The sad truth is that France is not growing as much [as other European countries],” Mr O’Leary said.
The airline is yet to confirm which routes and airports will be hit by this reduction.
Read more: Ryanair launches programme to enable passengers in France to save on frequent travel
‘Uncompetitive market’
Mr O’Leary added that France was an “uncompetitive market” for airlines.
Previously, Ryanair threatened to withdraw services from 10 regional airports in the country in protest over increased taxes on airline seats.
Asked if Ryanair planned to go through with this Mr O’Leary confirmed they would not.
“We will still fly to France, but simply with lower capacity,” he said.
Despite this confirmation, one small airport has already seen Ryanair withdraw, reducing up to 85% of the airport’s passenger traffic.
Read more: Ryanair to withdraw from airport in north of France
Regional airports face new threat
Even if Ryanair is planning to continue serving regional airports industry experts are warning that these airports are under significant threat.
Less than a third of smaller French airports have seen passenger numbers return to pre-Covid levels.
Up to 99% of flights to some regional airlines are from low-cost carriers.
The continuation of low-cost flights has been threatened by the increase in airline taxes on flights originating in France.
In most cases the tax increase has been passed on to passengers via higher prices for tickets which may lead to consumers opting for other travel methods. This in turn could lead airlines to reduce their services.
Read more: Cheap flights to/from France at risk: Ryanair writes to French airports
