The key facts

  • O'Leary demands a tax on flights by American, Asian and Chinese carriers, which, he says, account for more than half of Europe's aviation emissions but are exempt from EU taxes
  • Ryanair is cutting 1 million seats and 20 routes in Belgium after the tax was raised from €2 to €7 per ticket
  • O'Leary predicts a significant rise in ticket prices in 2027: hedged fuel at ~$67 per barrel will run out, and Brent is already above $110

O'Leary accused EU leadership of inaction

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary, in an interview with Euronews, called European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen 'useless', accusing her of talking about competitiveness without taking real steps. 'You have a ship of fools in the European Parliament that keeps producing more and more regulations that raise the cost of air travel, while consumers want lower fares,' he said on the programme Europe Today.

Demand for a tax on foreign airlines

O'Leary criticised EU environmental taxes that apply only to flights within the bloc: American, Asian and Chinese carriers are exempt from them, even though, according to him, they produce more than half of Europe's aviation emissions. 'Nobody but the European Parliament and Ursula von der Leyen would have devised such a stupid system. If you are serious about competitiveness — tax the Americans when they land in Europe,' he said. He demanded a 'fair and reasonable' levy on every flight arriving in Europe or departing from it.

Criticism of the Draghi report's implementation

O'Leary recalled that Europe has a 'roadmap' for competitiveness — the Mario Draghi report, published in September 2024, when he was Prime Minister of Italy. The report warned of the EU's 'slow agony' without radical reforms and called for additional investment of up to €800 billion per year. According to a report by the Joint European Disruptive Initiative published last month, the bloc has implemented 26% of Draghi's recommendations, and 'progress is real but not matching the pace of the world.' 'Ursula von der Leyen is hiding in the Berlaymont and doing nothing but speeches,' O'Leary said.

Cutting flights in Belgium and criticism of taxes

O'Leary spoke in Brussels, where he presented Ryanair's winter schedule. The airline is cutting 1 million seats and 20 routes in Belgium after Bart De Wever's government raised the air travel tax from €2 to €7 per ticket. 'We are moving aircraft to countries that are competitive. Belgium is not competitive. France is not competitive. Germany is hopelessly uncompetitive,' he said.

Forecast of rising fares amid expensive oil

O'Leary warned passengers of rising ticket prices. Ryanair has locked in its fuel price for this year at about $67 per barrel by concluding an agreement in advance, which protects it from rising oil prices. He expects that price to double next year, when the protection ends. 'We guarantee no fuel surcharges, but there is no doubt that fares will rise significantly in 2027 because of much higher oil prices,' O'Leary said. His warning came amid a sharp rise in oil prices due to the war in the Middle East: Brent closed on Friday at $109.86 per barrel — a high since May — and then rose above $110 amid attacks on tankers threatening supplies from the Persian Gulf.