Ryanair, which is rivalled by Easyjet, Jet2, TUI and more, plans to cut flights to and from UK airports by 10 per cent next year,

Ryanair takes drastic action after 'painful' decision from Labour in Budget

by · Birmingham Live

Ryanair will make a drastic decision in the wake of a Budget decision from Labour Party Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Ryanair, which is rivalled by Easyjet, Jet2, TUI and more, plans to cut flights to and from UK airports by 10 per cent next year,

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary blasted the spending statement on Friday, saying it has “damaged” UK growth prospects and “made air travel much more expensive”. He said Ryanair would “review” its schedules, and the planned reduction could lead to as many as five million fewer passengers at UK airports.

Mr O’Leary said it is “vital” that the UK makes it cheaper to fly, but that Labour had instead “damaged tourism, and damaged air travel to and from the UK”. He said: “Chancellor Rachel Reeves idiotic decision to further raise the UK’s already high air travel taxes will deliver cuts, not growth.”

READ MORE UK households will wake up to £11,250 bill after stamp duty rule change

He added: “This short-sighted tax grab will make air travel much more expensive for ordinary UK families going on holidays abroad and will make the UK a less competitive destination compared to Ireland, Sweden, Hungary and Italy where these Governments are abolishing travel taxes to stimulate traffic, tourism, and jobs growth in their economies.”

The Labour government has announced increases to Air Passenger Duty which will rise by no more than £2 for an economy class short-haul flight, but will jump 50 per cent for flights on private jets. In its first Budget since coming into power in July, the government said that APD “has not kept up with inflation in recent years”. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said this would mean “an increase of no more than £2 for an economy class short-haul flight.”

She continued: “But I am taking a different approach when it comes to private jets, increasing the rate of air passenger duty by a further 50 per cent.” The changes will take effect on 1 April 2026, with increases to APD in 2025 already put in place by the previous Conservative government.