Low-cost carrier Ryanair has fired the opening shot in what could become a broader battle between airlines and the new Belgian federal government over aviation taxes. Speaking from Dublin on 9 December 2025, the airline’s chief executive Michael O’Leary said Ryanair will withdraw five based aircraft from Brussels–Charleroi, cut 20 routes and remove one million seats from its 2026/27 winter timetable after Belgium formally enacted legislation that lifts the air‐passenger duty from its current banded structure (0-€4-€6) to a flat €10 for every departing traveller from 1 January 2027.
Charleroi’s provincial authorities have compounded the pressure by proposing a separate €3 local charge from 2026. Together, the levies would make an average Ryanair fare ex-Charleroi around 20 % more expensive, according to the airline. O’Leary warned that the combined measures would push highly price-sensitive leisure traffic to airports in Lille, Eindhoven and Düsseldorf, costing Belgium up to 1.2 million passengers, €100 million in tourism spend and as many as 1,500 direct and indirect jobs.
The decision to axe capacity so far ahead of the season is designed to put maximum political pressure on the incoming administration of Prime Minister Bart De Wever. Ryanair claims that Germany’s recent U-turn on its own green ticket tax—after similar capacity threats—proves such levies are “self-defeating.” Industry group Airlines for Europe (A4E) has backed the carrier, arguing that unilateral national taxes distort competition inside the single aviation market and undercut the EU’s emissions-trading and SAF-blending schemes, which already price carbon.
![Ryanair slashes Brussels 2026/27 winter capacity after Belgium confirms €10 passenger tax]()
Whether your travellers end up rerouting through Lille, Eindhoven or Düsseldorf—or continue using Brussels’ airports—making sure they hold the correct entry documents is still essential. VisaHQ’s Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) offers corporate travel managers and individual flyers an easy way to check visa requirements, secure e-visas and schedule consular appointments for Belgium and its neighbours, keeping mobility programs compliant even as flight patterns shift.
For corporates managing mobility programmes, the cuts mean fewer low-cost options on key Brussels city-pair markets—including Barcelona, Milan-Bergamo and Rome-Ciampino—during the 2026/27 winter. Travel managers may face higher fares on the remaining services operated by Brussels Airlines, easyJet and Wizz Air or need to route travellers via secondary Dutch or French airports. Mobility suppliers are also warning of knock-on effects on expatriate families who rely on affordable weekend travel.
Belgium’s finance ministry insisted the tax is needed to “align aviation with climate responsibilities” and said it will monitor economic impact before implementation. A formal review clause is scheduled for mid-2028, but Ryanair says that will be “too late to save lost traffic.” Further route withdrawals are possible if Charleroi’s own charge is confirmed next spring.
Charleroi’s provincial authorities have compounded the pressure by proposing a separate €3 local charge from 2026. Together, the levies would make an average Ryanair fare ex-Charleroi around 20 % more expensive, according to the airline. O’Leary warned that the combined measures would push highly price-sensitive leisure traffic to airports in Lille, Eindhoven and Düsseldorf, costing Belgium up to 1.2 million passengers, €100 million in tourism spend and as many as 1,500 direct and indirect jobs.
The decision to axe capacity so far ahead of the season is designed to put maximum political pressure on the incoming administration of Prime Minister Bart De Wever. Ryanair claims that Germany’s recent U-turn on its own green ticket tax—after similar capacity threats—proves such levies are “self-defeating.” Industry group Airlines for Europe (A4E) has backed the carrier, arguing that unilateral national taxes distort competition inside the single aviation market and undercut the EU’s emissions-trading and SAF-blending schemes, which already price carbon.
Whether your travellers end up rerouting through Lille, Eindhoven or Düsseldorf—or continue using Brussels’ airports—making sure they hold the correct entry documents is still essential. VisaHQ’s Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) offers corporate travel managers and individual flyers an easy way to check visa requirements, secure e-visas and schedule consular appointments for Belgium and its neighbours, keeping mobility programs compliant even as flight patterns shift.
For corporates managing mobility programmes, the cuts mean fewer low-cost options on key Brussels city-pair markets—including Barcelona, Milan-Bergamo and Rome-Ciampino—during the 2026/27 winter. Travel managers may face higher fares on the remaining services operated by Brussels Airlines, easyJet and Wizz Air or need to route travellers via secondary Dutch or French airports. Mobility suppliers are also warning of knock-on effects on expatriate families who rely on affordable weekend travel.
Belgium’s finance ministry insisted the tax is needed to “align aviation with climate responsibilities” and said it will monitor economic impact before implementation. A formal review clause is scheduled for mid-2028, but Ryanair says that will be “too late to save lost traffic.” Further route withdrawals are possible if Charleroi’s own charge is confirmed next spring.
