Ryanair Calls for the UK Government to Abolish Air Passenger Duty

Ryanair has called on the UK government to abolish Air Passenger Duty (APD).

UK airports and passengers are suffering from the heavy burden of APD, and the UK’s tourism industry is at a significant disadvantage compared to its European rivals, according to the airline. Ryanair is urging the new government to immediately abolish APD and also demands urgent reforms of the inefficient and costly air traffic control system.

Ryanair operates 117 aircraft based in the UK, transporting over 57 million people annually and supporting the employment of over 45,000 Britons. By abolishing APD, it could expand annual passenger numbers to over 65 million by 2030, create 1,000 new jobs, and has declared plans to deploy 20 Boeing 737-10 aircraft. The winter schedule includes new routes from London/Stansted to Dubrovnik, Linz, Reggio, and Sarajevo.

CEO Michael O’Leary stated, “As an island economy on the periphery of Europe, it is crucial that Ryanair continues to expand low-cost air access to and from the UK. This is especially true at a time when other EU countries like Poland, Croatia, Italy, and Spain are experiencing rapid growth while cutting costs and reducing taxes. Following the abolition of local taxes in regions like Calabria in Italy, we added three new aircraft and more than 20 new routes.”