Ryanair route headaches

Ryanair is reshaping parts of its European map in 2026, cutting seats and routes in Spain, Germany, France, Belgium and parts of Portugal as cost disputes spread. (ryanair.com) In Spain, Ryanair said on October 8, 2025 that it would cut 1.2 million summer 2026 seats, a 10% reduction in regional capacity, and end all flights to and from Asturias Airport. The airline tied the move to Aena airport fee increases and earlier winter 2025 cuts of 1 million seats. (ryanair.com) Germany’s cuts started earlier. Ryanair said on October 15, 2025 that it was removing more than 800,000 winter 2025 seats and canceling 24 routes across nine German airports, though its March 2026 summer schedule restored 300,000 seats and still left summer capacity 220,000 seats below 2025 levels. (ryanair.com 1) (ryanair.com 2) In France, Ryanair said on July 30, 2025 that it would cut 750,000 seats, or 13% of capacity, for winter 2025 and stop operating at Bergerac, Brive and Strasbourg while dropping 25 routes. The airline blamed a higher aviation tax. (ryanair.com) Belgium’s pressure point is Charleroi and Brussels. Ryanair said on December 9, 2025 that it would cut 1 million seats, 20 routes and five based aircraft from its Brussels winter 2026-27 schedule after Belgium decided to double its aviation tax to €10 per departing passenger from 2027, with the airline warning that extra Charleroi taxes could trigger more cuts from April 2026. (ryanair.com) Portugal is more mixed than the headline suggests. Ryanair announced a record summer 2026 schedule for Portugal on January 28, 2026 with 160 routes and four new routes, but said Lisbon growth was blocked by ANA airport charges, and on November 20, 2025 it said all Azores flights would end from March 29, 2026. (ryanair.com 1) (ryanair.com 2) This is not a single operational failure spreading across Europe. It is a series of market-by-market pullbacks, with Ryanair saying airport charges, air traffic control costs and passenger taxes have made some regional routes uneconomic. (aerospaceglobalnews.com) (ryanair.com) Airport operators and governments have pushed back on Ryanair’s framing. Aena says its airport charges are set under Spanish law and publishes current airline price guides for March 2026, while reporting from Spain has described the dispute as a fight over planned 2026 fee increases rather than a sudden collapse in service. (aena.es) (rte.ie) For travelers, the practical effect is narrower choice at regional airports, especially where Ryanair was the main low-fare carrier. The cuts are concentrated on thinner routes and smaller airports, while some larger leisure bases such as Alicante are still adding routes and frequencies for summer 2026. (aviationweek.com) (ryanair.com) The next test is whether governments or airport operators lower charges before peak summer flying locks in. Until then, Ryanair’s 2026 network changes look less like one Europe-wide cancellation wave and more like a fare war being fought through route maps. (ryanair.com) (aerospaceglobalnews.com)