Multiple reports indicate Ryanair will cut several routes in 2026 across major destinations including Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal and beyond. The airline will slash 24 routes to and from Germany for the Winter 2025/2026 schedule, a reduction of almost 800,000 seats, according to major media. Overall, Ryanair's route cuts will potentially slash around three million seats overall, major media reports. Nine German airports have already been affected by route cuts, including Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne, Memmingen, Frankfurt-Hahn, Dresden, Dortmund and Leipzig. Operations will continue to be suspended at Leipzig, Dresden and Dortmund airports in 2026 beyond the winter schedule, major media states. It remains unclear which other German airports beyond these nine will be impacted by the route cuts in 2026, and what specific routes in Spain, France, Belgium, Portugal and other destinations are being cut.
Ryanair blames high air traffic control and security fees, high German aviation taxes, and numerous airport changes for the route cuts in Germany, according to multiple reports. The airline called out the German government for backtracking on its promises to lower aviation taxes, major media says. Ryanair plans to move capacity out of Germany to other countries with more affordable costs, multiple reports indicate. Germany remains among the worst recovered air traffic markets in Europe, operating at just 88% of pre-Covid levels, according to major media. The timeline for Ryanair's capacity move from Germany to other countries, and which specific countries will receive this capacity, has not been disclosed.
Germany’s sky-high access costs are in stark contrast with countries such as Ireland, Spain and Poland which have no aviation taxes, or Sweden, Hungary and regional Italy, where aviation taxes are being scrapped alongside reduced access costs to boost traffic, tourism, jobs and economic recovery.
In contrast, Ryanair will open a new base in Rabat, Morocco later this month, with two planes stationed there, major media reports. The airline already flies direct from the UK and Ireland to Rabat, operating four flights per week from Dublin and Manchester and 10 per week from London Stansted, according to major media. Ryanair now serves a total of 13 airports in Morocco, major media states. The expansion of Rabat-Salé Airport will quadruple passenger capacity from around 1.5 million to 5 million each year, major media reports. The Moroccan government is investing £2.1 billion ($2.8 billion) into its airports as part of a national strategy to promote tourism and infrastructure ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, according to major media.
Separately, Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary slammed Boeing's management for persistent delays, major media reports. Ryanair's recent move to phase out physical boarding passes has been met with significant backlash, major media reports. Ryanair revealed major expansions to its winter schedule, especially in the UK, Finland and Italy, and announced new routes like London to Murcia and Rovaniemi to the UK, according to major media. The airline unveiled plans to boost passenger numbers and invest more in bases like Bologna, major media states. How many routes and seats will be cut in total across all affected countries beyond Germany remains uncertain.
running around like headless chickens