Ryanair has reiterated plans to reduce its presence in Belgium if the federal government goes ahead with a controversial increase in the country's aviation tax.
Speaking during a press visit to the airline's headquarters in Dublin, Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said the company still intends to remove five aircraft from Brussels South Charleroi Airport from the start of the winter season if the tax increase is implemented.
The federal government plans to double the aviation tax on flights longer than 500 kilometres from €5 to €10 from next year. The levy would then be aligned with the tax applied to short-haul flights, which is itself expected to rise to €11.
Belgian Finance Minister Jan Jambon said earlier this week that the government has no intention of reversing the measure.
According to O'Leary, the consequences would be significant. Ryanair would withdraw five of the 19 aircraft currently based at Charleroi, while 20 routes would disappear, including 15 from Charleroi and five from Brussels Airport. The airline estimates the cuts would reduce passenger numbers by around two million per year.
Despite the warning, O'Leary insisted Ryanair wants to expand in Belgium rather than shrink.
"Ryanair aims to grow from 208 million passengers in 2025 to 300 million in the coming years," he said. "We want part of that growth to take place at Charleroi and Zaventem, but for that to happen the aviation tax must be abolished and airport charges need to fall."
The Ryanair boss added that if the tax increase is abandoned, the planned aircraft reductions will not take place. If the tax is scrapped entirely, he argued, the airline could further expand its Belgian operations.
