Austria’s aviation taxes are back in the spotlight after Wizz Air’s exit from Vienna and Ryanair’s plan to trim three Vienna-based aircraft.
Airline and airport bosses used this week’s Vienna Aviation Symposium to demand lower costs and fewer hurdles - and the government now says it is reviewing the flight ticket tax.
Here’s where things stand, and what could change.
What airlines and the airport want
Industry leaders argued Austria has become uncompetitive due to “exorbitantly high” location costs.
Ryanair has warned that if demands – including scrapping aviation tax – were not met, it would not follow through on a planned $1 billion investment (€850 million) programme in Austria.
In a statement, CEO Michael O'Leary said "Austria has become hopelessly uncompetitive". He added that the Austrian government would need to scrap the aviation tax otherwise "Ryanair will have no choice but to further reduce operations in Austria"
.Austrian Airlines chief Annette Mann told the symposium that AUA “cannot earn enough to finance the investments for the next ten years,” pointing to the need for a €6 billion fleet renewal need and calling for lower charges and taxes, as reported by Kurier.
Vienna Airport CEO Julian Jäger also urged abolition of the ticket tax, targeted support for sustainable aviation fuel, and faster approvals (including a long-debated third runway). He said airport fees will be cut by almost five percent in 2026, taking them back to 2015 levels, according to ORF.
READ ALSO: What Vienna travellers need to know as Wizz Air winds down Austria flights
What the flight ticket tax looks like
Only seven EU countries levy such a tax - Austria, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark.
In Austria, airlines pay €12 per departing passenger from Austrian airports; for short-haul flights under 350 kilometres from the federal provinces, the tax is €30. The levy brings in around €170 million per year, Kurier noted.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) told the Vienna event that fees on flights in Austria have risen by about 80 percent since 2019, worsening the country’s competitive position; Sweden, by contrast, scrapped its ticket tax in July 2025, ORF reported.
READ ALSO: LISTED: The new flights from Austria in autumn 2025
Is a tax cut actually on the table?
There is movement, but no decision.
The Transport Ministry says it is “very intensively” examining the ticket tax and is running an evaluation phase that also involves the Finance Ministry, according to ORF. At the same time, the responsible minister, Peter Hanke (SPÖ), has already rejected outright abolition.
The clearest near-term step is on airport charges: Vienna Airport says it will reduce its fees in 2026.
How big is the immediate impact from low-cost cutbacks?
Wizz Air and Ryanair together are withdrawing eight aircraft from Vienna, citing high costs and saying Vienna no longer fits an ultra-low-cost model.
Airport chief Jäger called Ryanair’s step “not a catastrophe”, forecasting only a slight dip in passengers in 2026 and pointing to record traffic this year and plans to attract other carriers, including two additional AUA aircraft based in Vienna, as reported by ORF.
Still, business and tourism groups warn that fewer connections could hurt competitiveness and visitor numbers unless costs ease. Both the Austrian Hotel Association and the Chamber of Commerce urged tax and fee relief.
READ ALSO: What to know about Ryanair's plans to scrap routes at Vienna airport
What this means for travellers
Expect ticket prices to reflect ongoing cost pressures in the short term, even if airport fees ease from 2026. The bigger political question - whether Austria trims or reshapes its flight tax - remains open.
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