Ryanair is reducing its fleet in Vienna due to high taxes: Austria is losing planes, tourists, and jobs

Ryanair is once again reducing the number of planes in Vienna due to aviation tax and high fees. Find out how this will affect tourism, ticket prices, and the air transport market in Austria in 2025

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Europe's largest budget airline Ryanair has announced the removal of two more aircraft from its Vienna base, representing a loss of $200 million in investment. The company attributes this decision to the inaction of the Austrian government, which ignored Ryanair's proposal for a large-scale development plan for the industry.

In September, the carrier presented the Austrian chancellor with an ambitious €1 billion project, which envisaged an increase in the country's passenger traffic to 12 million people per year — a 70% increase — and the deployment of ten new “next-generation” Boeing 8-200 aircraft by 2030. However, the government did not respond, and instead, the country with high costs and taxes continues to lose aircraft, tourists, and jobs to its cheaper neighbors — Italy and Slovakia.

Why is Ryanair cutting back on aircraft in Vienna?

The reason for the conflict is Austria's current aviation tax, which is one of the highest in Europe at €12 per passenger. By comparison, in many EU countries, governments are instead abolishing taxes and reducing airport charges to stimulate tourism and attract new carriers. These countries include Italy, Hungary, Slovakia, and Sweden, where the authorities are actively working to create favorable conditions for business and tourists.

In Austria, the situation is the opposite: excessive fees at Vienna Airport and expensive taxes make the air transport market uncompetitive. As a result, Ryanair, Wizz Air, Level, and easyJet have reduced their bases in Vienna, and Lufthansa has announced a reduction of 10 aircraft in the fleet of its Austrian subsidiary AUA.

Incidentally, Ryanair recently announced flight reductions in six more countries—we wrote about this in more detail in our previous article.

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What are the consequences of flight reductions?

Ryanair's decision means not only the loss of two aircraft, but also a reduction in potential jobs and passenger traffic. The company emphasizes that its growth plan could create around 300 high-paying jobs for pilots, flight attendants, and engineers. It would also have boosted the tourism sector, which is one of the key components of the Austrian economy.

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary sharply criticized the government, calling it incapable of implementing the promised measures:

“We are disappointed by the Austrian government's inability to deliver on its promise regarding our $1 billion growth plan. This could have filled the gap left by Lufthansa, Wizz, and other high-fare airlines that have reduced routes to and from Austria,” the statement said.

O'Leary emphasized that Ryanair has already cut three aircraft in 2025, and now two more will be removed from the base for the 2026 summer season. The company plans to transfer the freed-up capacity to other European destinations with lower costs — primarily Italy, Hungary, and Slovakia.

For air travelers, the reduction of Ryanair's fleet means fewer available flights and a potential increase in ticket prices. The company is already planning to shift routes in favor of cheaper European markets, which will make flights from Austria less profitable.

Despite this, Ukrainian and European tourists can still find affordable flight options through the ticket booking system on Visit Ukraine — a service that combines all types of transport: air, train, and bus. This allows travelers to quickly find alternative routes, especially if certain flights disappear from the schedule.

We remind you! You can travel around Europe cheaply and comfortably — the main thing is to know the right airlines. Read about which low-cost airlines offer the best prices, convenient destinations, and life hacks for budget travelers.

Photo: Ryanair

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