Ryanair Cuts Flights in France and Belgium but Adds 580,000 Seats in Morocco

Ryanair has lowered its annual target from 216 million to 214 million passengers for the financial year ending in March 2027. The reduction, decided in September and confirmed in its half-year results, mainly affects flights from November to March, a period during which its traffic is expected to remain virtually flat.

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In Morocco, Ryanair has planned 5.3 million seats for this winter, 580,000 more than the previous year (+12%). Its schedule includes 156 routes, 17 of them new, and serves 13 Moroccan airports. The airline now has 16 aircraft based in the Kingdom, including two in Rabat, where it has opened its fifth Moroccan base.

At the November 2 financial conference, Ryanair Chief Operations Officer Jason McGuinness named Morocco among the markets seeing double-digit growth in air capacity this winter, along with Albania, Slovakia and Poland. By contrast, capacity is down nearly 10% in Austria and Belgium, while Germany, France and the United Kingdom are also seeing declines.

Why Morocco is attracting Ryanair aircraft

The airline’s chief, Michael O’Leary, says Ryanair is concentrating its available capacity in countries and airports that are cutting taxes or fees. Morocco is explicitly among the favored markets. At the same time, the group is withdrawing flights from destinations it considers too expensive, notably in Germany, Austria and some regional Spanish airports.

This selectivity has become more important as fuel prices have risen. Ryanair’s half-year profit fell 15% to 2.15 billion euros, despite a 6% increase in passenger numbers. The price of jet fuel purchased outside hedging contracts doubled, prompting the airline to limit capacity to reduce its exposure to costs.

For Moroccan travelers in Europe, these decisions are producing mixed results. Ryanair has scrapped its Brussels-Zaventem to Marrakech route for this winter, while maintaining direct flights from Charleroi. The overall expansion of its Moroccan network therefore does not prevent cuts to some routes.

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Ryanair Chief Commercial Officer Eddie Wilson also mentioned the new Rabat base, domestic flights in Morocco and the 2030 World Cup, co-hosted with Spain and Portugal. He said airports are now seeking to attract airlines able to bring in additional aircraft and passengers, as capacity remains limited in the European market.