The Irish airline at low prices, Ryanair, reduces the wing in France

In response to the increase in the solidarity tax on aircraft tickets, the group is indeed stopping its activities in three regional airports

The Ryanair company announced on Wednesday July 30, arrest its operations in Strasbourg, Bergerac and Brives, three airports where Ryanair serves Scotland or Portugal in particular. In the spring, she had already left Vatry airport in eastern France. In summary, for next winter, the first low -cost European company plans to reduce its capacity in France by 13%, which corresponds to 750,000 less passenger seats and the cancellation of 25 lines.

This is not the first time that the boss of Ryanair has heard his voice about the increase in taxes. Michael O’Leary had become more and more threatening over the months, he decided to take action. Specifying, that in his eyes, “France is against the tide”, While other countries in Europe reduce aviation taxes such as Spain, Ireland or Poland.

Under what was planned in the finance law for this year, the aircraft ticket tax increased from 2.63 euros to 7.30 euros for a post in economical class (from France to a European country or a European country to France), up to 40 euros in business class tickets. Supposed to be assigned to the fight against climate effects, this tax would finally bring the State between 800 and 850 million euros each year. According to the boss of Ryanair, this policy makes many regional lines not profitable, especially in winter.

Airports and local authorities also react. The Union of French Airports deplores Ryanair’s decision “unfortunately predictable “, she recognizes. It leads to an immediate loss of income for airports, a decrease in attractiveness and a significant decrease in tourism attendance for the territories concerned.

If the French government does not change course, the boss of Ryanair, Michael O’Leary, assures that his investments will inevitably be redirected to more competitive European markets such as Sweden, Hungary or certain regions of Italy. On the other hand, if there is a real inversion on the part of Matignon, Ryanair could invest between 2 and 3 billion euros in France and create up to 750 jobs throughout the territory.