Ryanair is to cut its routes from Budapest by 33 per cent including the axing of services from Birmingham to the Hungarian capital.
The no-frills giant has blamed Budapest airport for increasing charges which it said had led to today’s decision to reduce the number of aircraft based at the airport from five to three from January 10, 2013.
The other routes being cut from Budapest are Baden, Bologna, Dusseldorf, Krakow, Lubeck, Malaga, Munich, Oslo and Thessaloniki.
Ryanair will continue to operate 20 routes from Budapest although capacity will be dropped on nine of these services. As a result of the move, the number of weekly flights will be cut to less than 170 from the current total of around 280.
Michael O'Leary, the airline’s chief executive, said: “Ryanair regrets Hochtief Budapest Airport's decision to increase charges, impose inefficient facilities and reject our proposals for a competitive growth offer which would have allowed Ryanair to grow traffic and routes at Budapest.”
“Hochtief cannot continue to ignore the competitive marketplace, where airports all over Europe have been reducing costs and offering efficient facilities in return for traffic growth. We hope there is a way to reverse these cuts to ensure further Ryanair growth at Budapest.”