The budget airline has hit out at the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves as they launch a host of new routes and claimed that it could be "growing even more rapidly" if she were to focus more on "delivering growth" in the industry by getting rid of the duty that is chargeable per passenger flying from UK airports to domestic and international destinations.
Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said:“We are pleased to announce seve new Summer 2025 routes from London to Bodrum, Clermont-Ferrand, Dalaman, Münster, Lübeck, Linz, and Reggio Calabria. We are also launching extra frequencies on 30 other London routes to exciting destinations like Gdansk, Ibiza, Malaga, and Rome.
"Ryanair could be growing more rapidly to/from the UK, but Rachel Reeves bizarre decision to raise APD taxes by £2 per passenger damages the growth prospects of the UK, and in particular regional UK airports. Rachel Reeves is trying to distract people by floating a 3rd runway at Heathrow (or a 2nd at Gatwick), which even if approved, won’t arrive for 10 or 20 years, long after the life of this Labour Govt. If she is serious about delivering growth, then she should abolish the penal and damaging APD tax, which makes the UK uncompetitive when EU countries like Sweden, Hungary, Ireland, and regions in Italy are abolishing aviation taxes, and winning dramatic traffic, tourism, and jobs growth from the UK."
THe airline boss also noted that the government needs to act fast ot "deliver dramatic investment" amid tax hikes rather than "wasting time" with other investments.
He said: "Rachel Reeves is serious about growth, then stop wasting time talking about a 3rd runway at Heathrow (which won’t deliver till 2030 or 2040), and instead do something useful to drive growth during the life of the current Labour Govt and abolish APD. This would deliver dramatic investment and growth in air travel, tourism, and economic activity, not just in London but across the UK regions. Sadly to date, the Labour Govt has raised taxes while it rewarded train drivers and junior doctors, but damages economic activity and growth with this APD tax hike!"
