Ryanair to end all Azores flights from March 2026

International

Airline cites high airport fees, government inaction and rising EU environmental taxes – region stands to lose six routes and 400,000 passengers annually

Ryanair has announced that it will discontinue all flights to and from the Azores from 29 March 2026. According to the airline, persistently high airport charges set by ANA – the French-owned airport operator – alongside a lack of intervention by the Portuguese government, have made continued operations unsustainable. The decision follows a +120% post-pandemic rise in Portuguese ATC fees and the introduction of a €2 travel tax, at a time when other EU states are removing such charges to support capacity growth.

High fees and lack of competition put Azores connectivity at risk

Ryanair argues that ANA, which faces no domestic competition, has repeatedly increased airport fees without consequence – in stark contrast to airports elsewhere in Europe, where charges are being reduced to stimulate traffic. The airline warns that this approach jeopardises the connectivity of a remote archipelago reliant on affordable air links.

Ryanair also criticises EU environmental taxation. The current ETS framework applies only to intra-European flights while long-haul services to the US and Middle East remain exempt, placing additional cost pressure on carriers serving outermost regions such as the Azores. The expansion of ETS to cover the islands, while non-EU competitors remain excluded, further undermines competitiveness.

“No alternative other than to cancel all Azores flights”

Ryanair CCO Jason McGuinness described the airline’s position:

“We are disappointed that the French airport monopoly ANA continues to raise Portuguese airport fees to line its pockets, at the expense of Portuguese tourism and jobs – particularly on the Portuguese islands. As a direct result of these rising costs, we have been left with no alternative other than to cancel all Azores flights from 29 March 2026 onwards and relocate this capacity to lower cost airports elsewhere in the extensive Ryanair Group network across Europe.

This loss of low fare connectivity to the Azores is direct result of the French monopoly airport operator – VINCI – imposing excessive airport charges across Portugal (which have risen by up to 35% since Covid) and the anti-competitive enviro taxes imposed by the EU, which exempt more polluting long haul flights to the US and Middle East, at the expense of EU remote regions such as the Azores. After 10 years of year-round Ryanair operations, one of Europe’s most remote regions will now lose direct low-fare flights to London, Brussels, Lisbon, and Porto due to ANA’s high airport fees and Portuguese Govt. inaction.”

Loss of routes and capacity

· The decision will result in:

· six routes withdrawn, including links to major hubs such as London, Brussels, Lisbon and Porto

· approximately 400,000 fewer passengers per year

· reduced year-round low-fare connectivity for one of Europe’s most remote island regions

Ryanair reiterates its call for Portuguese government action and for EU environmental taxes to be aligned with global standards under CORSIA to ensure a level playing field for European carriers.