Ryanair cuts flights to another popular European destination over airport fee row

Ryanair has announced plans to axe flights to the Azores in 2026, the latest in a string of withdrawals by the airline from popular European destinations.

The autonomous Portuguese islands are known for their dramatic volcanic landscapes and have long been a favourite for UK holidaymakers.

However, the budget airline has pulled six routes to the archipelago after a decade of year-round flight connections.

The flights will cease from 29 March 2026 onwards due to “high airport fees” set by airport operator ANA, which is owned by France’s Vinci group. Ryanair said.

The airline said that air traffic control charges have increased by 120 per cent since the end of the Covid pandemic, and a €2 (£1.76) travel tax has been introduced.

Ryanair said the “ANA monopoly” faces no competition in Portugal and can raise airport fees without penalty. The airline is calling on the Portuguese government to intervene and ensure that the local economy is benefiting from the airport, rather than the French company.

Ryanair’s CCO, Jason McGuinness, said: “We are disappointed that the French airport monopoly ANA continues to raise Portuguese airport fees to line its pockets, at the expense of Portuguese tourism and jobs – particularly on the Portuguese islands.

“As a direct result of these rising costs, we have been left with no alternative other than to cancel all Azores flights from 29 March 2026 onwards and relocate this capacity to lower cost airports elsewhere in the extensive Ryanair Group network across Europe.”

In response, the Vinci group told The Independent that “Ryanair's statement comes as a surprise, and recent talks with the Irish company are aimed at increasing, not reducing, its flight offerings to Ponta Delgada.”

It said that airport fees in the Azores are the lowest in the network and were unchanged in 2025, adding that ANA did not propose any increase for 2026.

It added that dialogue remains open with Ryanair and that ANA maintains close collaboration with the Azores regional government and tourism entities “to ensure the best air connectivity to and from the Azores, with Ryanair and other operators.”

It also added that routes operated by Ryanair are also operated by Sata Azores Airlines and TAP Air Portugal.

Mr McGuinness also blames “the anti-competitive environmental taxes imposed by the EU, which exempt more polluting long-haul flights to the US and Middle East, at the expense of EU remote regions such as the Azores.”

The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) requires polluters to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions, but some companies receive free emission allowances, which grant the right to emit carbon dioxide with no cost.

By 2026, however, free allocation of allowances will be removed for the aviation sector.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary warned in 2021 that travellers would see a reduction in the number of cheap promotional fares for the next few years due to airlines being required to foot their CO2 bill.

The announcement comes after the low-cost airline also declared it will be cutting flights in destinations such as France, Spain and Germany, also due to tax hikes and airport fees.

Read more: Ryanair to stop more flights from this European country next summer