Ryanair to cut more services to France in summer 2026

Low-cost carrier Ryanair will further reduce the number of services to regional French airports in summer 2026, citing ‘unviable’ tax increases introduced last year.

The airline pulled out of three regional French airports this winter including Bergerac and Brive, and reduced timetables at several others. 

While it has partially returned to some airports for the summer 2026 season, several routes are still missing and further cuts are to be announced, said chief commercial officer Jason McGuinness in an interview with French media Challenges.

“I can tell you that we will be leaving some regional French airports this summer…We are still working on our summer schedule. But unfortunately, there will be a reduction in the number of routes we offer in France,” said Mr McGuinness.

The airline has also cut services to Spain and Germany this winter – the latter also over increased airline taxes. Ryanair is prioritising routes to countries and regions where taxes are lower / non-existent or are being abolished. 

This includes Sweden and regions of Italy. 

It comes despite the airline recording record summer profits and annual passenger numbers.

Reduction of around 13%; airline tax chief cause

While the exact cuts are not yet known, they are expected to be similar to those from the current winter 2025 schedule, which saw a 13% reduction in flights to France.

“We are currently finalising negotiations with non-French airports, regions, and governments,” said Mr McGuinness. These negotiations are expected to impact which routes to France are axed.

“The European aviation market is currently very constrained in terms of capacity… There is therefore enormous competition between governments, regions, and airports in different countries for very limited capacity. 

“France is becoming less and less relevant for Ryanair,” Mr McGuinness added. 

Several issues including a delay in aircraft delivery – some not arriving until the 2030s – and engine issues are squeezing the available fleet for airlines, causing them to focus on the most profitable routes.

“The French government failed to consider the impact of the TSBA (tax on airline ticket sales) increase on regional France.”

Under former Prime Minister François Bayrou, an increase on solidarity taxes for flights out of France were introduced at the start of 2025. Notably, it saw taxes on an inter-European flight in economy class - essentially all tickets sold by low-cost carriers such as easyJet and Ryaianr - increase from €2.63 to €7.30

“When you raise taxes by 180% in Bergerac or Brive, it simply makes those airports economically unviable for us because we operate there on very tight margins,” Mr McGuinness added. 

Long-term effects see France sidelined 

Ryanair is looking to greatly increase its available fleet, and expects 300 aircraft to be delivered between 2027 and 2033. 

However, unless things change, this will not benefit travellers to France.

“At this stage none of the 300 additional aircraft we are expecting will go to France,” said Mr McGuinness, neither to regional airports or larger bases. 

This is despite previous plans by the airline to double capacity in France cited by Mr McGuinness. 

“Several months ago, we presented the French government with a very ambitious plan, aiming to double the number of passengers from 15 to 30 million between 2025 and 2030, to base our aircraft at 25 new airports, and to increase the number of routes from 250 to 540.”

“The positive aspect of this plan was that the majority of the growth would have been in regional France rather than in Paris. But we got nothing (from it).”