Ryanair to Shut Down Billund Base, Aalborg routes

‍DALLAS — Ryanair (FR) will close its Billund Airport (BLL) base and cancel all Aalborg routes starting March 2025, blaming Denmark’s new aviation tax as the straw that broke the camel’s back. 

The tax, introduced in January, charges up to 50 DKK per departing passenger. This closure from the Irish ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) will result in losing 32 routes across Denmark.

The BLL closure also includes the removal of two based aircraft, representing a US$200 million investment loss, and eliminating up to 60 jobs, including pilots, flight attendants, and engineers.

The move aligns with comparable actions taken by the Irish ULLC, including conflicts regarding airport fees in Rome and Bordeaux. 

Last year, FR announced it had cut its capacity to Germany by 12% for summer 2025, again citing the tax hike there. This affects 22 Dortmund, Dresden, and Leipzig/Halle routes. The budget carrier also axed flights to Hamburg by 60% and to Berlin Brandenburg by 20%.

In related news, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary responded to Spanish minister Pablo Bustinduy's "false claims," stating today that the Spanish ministry's fines on airlines charging for hand luggage were intended to protect Spanish consumers.

"This minister cannot suddenly repeal EU legislation in Spain or tell European airlines how to set their prices," O'Leary said, noting that this fine "would be passed on to passengers with higher fares."

“It is typical of these left-wing minority ministers to think that they can fine companies without realising that these costs end up falling on consumers,” added the airline CEO.

These base closures and contentious tit-for-tats are part of FR’s strategy to react to increased aviation-related costs and taxes in various European countries.

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