Ryanair to offer more flights after Charleroi passenger tax is scrapped

Budget airline Ryanair has scrapped plans to reduce its flights to and from Belgium - and has even announced an increase in services - after it successfully lobbied for a new passenger tax at Charleroi airport to be abolished.

Ryanair, which is known for using out-of-town airports to serve major cities, bases the majority of its Belgian operations out of Charleroi.

The budget carrier said it welcomed the Walloon government’s decision not to approve a €3 municipal tax per passenger.

After threatening to cut 1.1 million seats at Charleroi in 2026, the airline now says it will maintain its initial summer schedule and has promised a 9% increase in services compared to summer 2025.

At the same time, Ryanair is calling on prime minister Bart De Wever to review the increase in the federal boarding tax, which is set to rise to €10 in the near future.