Ryanair has urged Prime Minister Bart De Wever to act immediately to reverse the planned increase in the aviation tax, saying any delay would harm the availability of flights and jobs.
The Federal Government decided last November to double the tax on flights over 500 kilometres to €10 starting in 2027, aligning it with the tax on shorter flights, which itself will gradually rise to €11 by 2029.
Ryanair has consistently criticised this measure and warned that it may scale back operations at Charleroi Airport, its primary hub in Belgium, and Brussels Airport.
The airline described the move as a “fivefold” rise in the tax, noting that the levy had already increased from €2 to €5 last summer.
While Ryanair welcomed signs that De Wever acknowledges the adverse effects of over-taxing air traffic on tourism and employment, it argued that his plan to revisit the issue in July was a case of “too little, too late.”
Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson warned in a statement that July was too late since, by then, airlines would have already finalised their schedules for Winter 2026 and Summer 2027.
He added that failure to act now could lead to the loss of over two million seats at Charleroi starting in October and would threaten thousands of jobs at the airport.
