Ryanair, Europe’s leading airline by the number of flights, has issued a bold New Year’s manifesto urging EU governments to adopt policies that promote aviation growth, boost tourism, and create jobs in 2025.
Highlighting failures in aviation policy over recent years, the airline proposes key reforms:
Abolish Aviation Taxes: Citing success stories in countries like Sweden and Ireland, Ryanair argues that eliminating aviation taxes fuels traffic and tourism growth, while nations like the UK, France, and Germany face declines due to higher taxes.
Reduce ATC Fees: With post-COVID ATC fees surging beyond inflation and services underperforming, Ryanair calls for reduced fees, akin to U.S. policies, to enhance affordability and efficiency.
Resolve ATC Delays: Proposals include fully staffing morning flight waves and safeguarding overflights during ATC strikes, alongside deregulating and introducing competition in air traffic control.
End Growth Constraints: The airline demands the removal of traffic caps, such as Dublin Airport’s outdated 32 million passenger limit, to unlock regional growth potential.
CEO Michael O’Leary stresses the need for deregulation and growth-focused policies to revitalise Europe’s struggling economies and enable aviation to drive sustainable connectivity and tourism: “The new Commission under Ursula von der Leyen should stop talking about growth and start delivering it. Fix Europe’s broken ATC system, abolish aviation taxes, and return to the principle of free movement of citizens around Europe and allow the low-fare airlines to do the rest.”
Ryanair’s ambitious growth plan includes expanding passenger volumes from 200 million to 300 million annually over the next decade, supported by 350 new aircraft deliveries.
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