Ryanair’s chief, the first low -cost European airline, Michael O’Leary, threatened, on Saturday, August 10, in an interview with El Parisino, to “further reduce his capabilities in France if the government decided to increase the air tax, aroused an annoying response from the Minister of Transportation.
“You have this crazy situation in which your government increases the solidarity tax in plane tickets (TSBA), which increased from 2.63 euros to 7.40 euros per ticket” in March 2025, Michael O’Leary begins, describing the increase in “unjustified” for “a sector that does not inform much money.”
He claims to have proposed a plan to France to double annual traffic by 2030 “, but only if the government suppresses taxes.” “Otherwise, we have less expensive alternatives in other places (…) and if France’s response is to increase taxes again, then we will still reduce our capacity here,” threatens Michael O’Leary.
“There is no threat,” warned the Minister of Transportation
“I do not tolerate these ways of doing things,” replied transport minister Philippe Tabarot requested by Le Parisien. “Dialogue, yes, but there is no threat,” he adds, accusing Ryanair of not assuming having “duplicated his profits in a year.” The minister, who personally said “reserved” for the idea of registering the increase in the duration of the duration in March, denounces the “violent” communication of Ryanair “to try to exonerate his social and fiscal obligations.”
In response to the increase in the solidarity tax in aircraft tickets, the Irish company announced at the end of July a 13% reduction in its capacity in France, or 750,000 seats less, leaving three regional airports (Strasbourg, Bergerac and Brive) for winter. However, Michael O’Leary had assured at the end of March that he would not eliminate the regional service.
“Instead of giving lessons on how the Government is preparing its next budget, (Michael O’Leary) would be better in charge of the service that Ryanair provides to his clients,” added Philippe Tabarot, citing social conflicts and judicial decisions.
Ryanair’s chief addressed French air traffic control, “the least effective in Europe” and “recreational” attacks before the weekend of the controllers to obtain, according to him, three days of additional license, which leads to “cancellations on flights on flights” from France “overprotecta the national flights.” A position qualified as “excessive cartoon on certain behaviors that may exist, only for a minority” by the minister.
Source: BFM TV
