Ryanair is trimming its UK capacity by 16 percent for next winter, which will mean 2 million fewer passengers, as it moves operations to its European bases to take advantage of cheaper air passenger duty.
All of its British bases will be affected apart from Leeds Bradford and Edinburgh. Stansted is the worst affected with 135 fewer weekly flights.
European base in Malaga will see the launch of 44 additional routes.
Chief Executive Michael O’Leary blamed the UK cuts on high airport charges and aviation taxes, stating that a combination of BAA’S high airport charges and the UK’s tourist tax are damaging the tourism market and the economy .
Growth has returned to the Belgian, Dutch and Spanish markets after their governments scrapped tourist taxes and/or reduced airport charges which has encouraged the tourism market as a whole and the job sector.
In November, APD is set to increase from £11 to £12 on short-haul flights, from £45 to £60 on flights between 2,001 and 4,000 miles, from £50 to £75 on flights between 4,001 and 6,000 miles, and from £55 to £85 on flights over 6,000 miles.
These figures were put in place by the previous Labour government, but after last weeks emergency budget, plans to review the aviation tax system were announced.
APD has already risen by up to 325 per cent since 2006, and senior aviation members claim that further increases will hit families hardest and lead to a decline in the travel industry as a whole.