Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair has announced a significant reduction of its flight program from Vienna Airport, following a similar move by Wizz Air earlier this year. Both airlines cited high taxes and soaring airport fees as the main reasons for scaling back operations in Austria’s capital.
According to Ryanair’s statement on 17 September 2025, the airline will withdraw three aircraft based in Vienna and suspend three winter routes for 2025:
Billund, Denmark
Santander, Spain
Tallinn, Estonia
Ryanair criticized Vienna’s €12 punitive aviation tax and excessive airport charges, which have reportedly increased by 30% since the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline warned that these costs undermine Austria’s competitiveness compared to other EU countries with lower aviation taxes, such as Sweden, Hungary, and parts of Italy, which have reduced or eliminated fees to boost tourism and passenger traffic.
“If the Austrian government does not lower taxes on airlines, Ryanair will continue to reduce its flight program in the country,” the company said. Lufthansa and Wizz Air have already taken similar steps.
This move is part of a broader strategy by Ryanair, which last year cut a significant number of flights to Germany over what it described as excessive taxes and airport charges. Spain is another country where the airline is actively reducing capacity, with CEO Michael O’Leary recently stating plans to cut an additional 1 million seats on Spanish routes for summer 2026.
Ryanair’s winter reductions in Vienna reflect growing tension between European low-cost carriers and national aviation policies, highlighting how fees and taxes can directly influence airline route networks.
