While the low-cost airline had obtained two takeoff and landing slots at the Paris airport, its CEO, Michael O’Leary, vetoed it on Tuesday, December 17. The Irish company will continue to use provincial platforms, such as that of Beauvais.
No first foray into the capital. Despite years of underwater work trying toget takeoff slots at Orly, the second Parisian airport dedicated to medium-haul traffic, Ryanair has given up on being able to land there in the spring, according to Les Echos. Its debut, which was to take place on April 1, 2025 with two operable connections to Bergamo (Italy) and Bratislava (Slovakia), is canceled. The Association for the Coordination of Air Schedules (Cohor) had reallocated “slots” left vacant by airlines.
But the airline was cooled by les taxes that carriers must pay to operate. Instead, the company had made Beauvais (Oise), its French hub, where more than 33,000 flights were operated in 2023 pour more than 5 million travelers international transported, mainly by the Irish company. Beauvais has always bent over backwards to keep Ryanair, allocating it optimized flight slots and preferential pricing conditions.
No more low-cost flights at Orly, is this good news for the wallet?
Threat of drastic reduction of its flight plan
Since the government considered increasing the solidarity tax on plane tickets to make up for its deficits, Ryanair, initially cautious on this subject, has decided to strengthen its speech. The company’s number 3, Jason McGuinness, threatened the French authorities to drastically reduce its flight plan for next year and to stop serving around ten French regional airports out of the 22 where it currently operates, without providing more details on the potential losers.
