Ryanair confirms plan to cut over 1 million seats in Belgium

Budget airline Ryanair has announced it will go ahead with plans for a reduction of about 1.1 million passenger seats in Belgium in 2026, citing rising aviation taxes as the reason for scaling back flights to the country.

The decision follows threats made by the airline in December over the Belgian government’s planned hike in aviation tax in 2027, as well as the city of Charleroi’s new municipal tax of €3 per passenger departing from its airport in 2026.

Ryanair’s passenger reduction will affect services at Brussels South Charleroi Airport and Brussels National Airport in Zaventem.

The Irish airline said that changes will amount to roughly 10% fewer seats from its Belgian network, primarily at Charleroi, where it currently operates about 10.5 million seats annually.

Ryanair’s chief executive and founder Michael O’Leary said the airline would continue to reduce capacity unless the federal government reverses its planned tax increases.

Around 20 routes to Belgium are expected to be reduced or cancelled as part of the 2026–27 schedule changes: 13 at Charleroi and seven at Brussels.

Ryanair has urged the Belgian authorities to reconsider and scrap the tax increases, warning of potential job losses in Belgian aviation and reduced connectivity.

Meanwhile, Brussels National Airport has reported continued growth in 2025, welcoming 24.4 million passengers, a 3.3% increase on the previous year, despite seven national strike days that led to around 275,000 fewer travellers and the cancellation of some 2,400 flights.

Photo: ©Ryanair