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Ryanair to cancel flights to popular holiday destinations - blaming 'idiotic' French government
Ryanair is set to cancel flights to popular holiday destinations in France as the company's boss blames the French government.
In response to France's rising 'solidarity tax' on air fares, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has said the budget airline will cut down services to the European country.
The tax increase means companies will be charged €7.40 (£6.40) per ticket, up from €2.63 (£2.28).
Now, this winter Ryanair will reduce its flights to France by 13 per cent and stop journeys completely to and from Bergerac and Brive airports.
The two airports serve Dordogne, a popular destination for Brits.
While services to Strasbourg, in eastern France, will also come to a halt.
On the tax increase, Mr O'Leary told Le Parisien: 'It's completely unjustified. We operate in a rotten industry that doesn't make much money.'
He revealed the reason behind axing flights from the three French airports, and explained they were the smallest Ryanair operated from.
The budget airline boss shared that revenues from the three airports were 'particularly low compared to the cost of operations' and would lead to profit loss with the additional tax.
Mr O'Leary blasted the French government for the decision to increase solidarity tax.
'But you know what the French government has been doing for several years?' he said.
'Shooting itself in both feet with these ridiculous and idiotic taxes on air travel . I have nothing against taxing visitors by, for example, imposing a tax on hotel nights. But you have to get tourists into the country first!'
The airline boss explained how the company's growth plan from 2025 to 2030 hoped to double the number of passengers they served per year to 30million.
However, he stressed it was only possible if governments stop aviation taxes.
'Otherwise, we have cheaper alternatives elsewhere, where other countries are realizing the stupidity of the French tax increases and trying to exploit it,' he said.
According to The Times, French transport minister Philippe Tabarot hit back at Mr O'Leary's claims and blasted them as 'a strategy to exonerate it from its social and fiscal obligations'.
'I haven't got a problem with an airline making a profit, which is the case for Ryanair, which has doubled its profits in a year,' Mr Tabarot added.
It comes as Ryanair announced a major change to its baggage rules and revealed it was set to increase the size of its free 'personal bag' allowance.
The budget carrier previously allowed passengers to take a small under the seat bag, or 'personal bag' for free and the bag could measure 40x20x25cm.
Now, the size has been increased by 20 per cent with holidaymakers able to take a bag measuring 40x30x20cm instead.
The news comes as the EU brings in new rules which require airlines to allow passengers to bring free bags measuring 40x30x15cm.
The free bag will still need to weigh under 10kg and fit under the seat in front.
Mr O'Leary also made headlines last month when he said he was 'happy to incentivise' staff to crack down on oversized luggage.
The airline currently pays staff around €1.50 (£1.30) for intercepting customers who are bringing bags on to the aircraft. It is reported that the bonus is capped at about €80 (£70) for each staff member per month.
Passengers are charged a fee of up to €75 (£65) for bringing luggage that is larger than they paid for while booking their journey.
Speaking to the business news on RTE's Morning Ireland, he said: 'We're flying largely full flights, about half the passengers can bring two bags and the other half can only bring one - because that's all that fits in the plane.
'We're already struggling with that amount of baggage.
'That's one of the reasons we are so aggressive about eliminating the scourge of passengers with excess baggage.'
Mr O'Leary said more than 99.9 per cent of passengers comply with baggage rules, with 'sizers' located within the airport.
He said: 'We are happy to incentivise our (staff) with a share of those excess baggage fees, which we think will decline over the coming year or two.'
