Ryanair will cut flights in its winter 2026 schedule from the airports of Alghero and Olbia: the announced cuts are 15% at the first airport and 50% at the second, where one route will also be cancelled. The airline attributes its decision to the failure to abolish the municipal surcharge on boarding fees for the entire year and is asking the Sardinia Region to scrap it permanently.
The cuts affect the north of the island, while in Cagliari Ryanair plans to expand its offering: a new connection to Forlì has been announced, and frequencies to Milan Malpensa and Venice will increase. The airline says it carries more than 4.5 million passengers a year in Sardinia and supports over 3,500 jobs in the region.
At the heart of the dispute is the surcharge on departing passengers. The Region has provided for the suspension of the tax, which amounts to €6.50 per passenger, from November to March during the winters of 2026, 2027 and 2028 at the airports of Cagliari, Olbia and Alghero. For Alghero, April and May 2027 and 2028 are also included. The measure is funded with €18.2 million and does not amount to the year-round abolition sought by the airline. The Region and the airline therefore have different positions on the winter suspension of the tax.
According to Ryanair, the regional decision came too late to affect planning for winter 2026, and a suspension limited to the winter months does not provide the conditions needed to plan long-term investment. The airline cites other Italian regions that have abolished the tax, arguing that the move helped grow passenger traffic and open new routes. The request was also reiterated by Chief Commercial Officer Jason McGuinness.
Ryanair links the possible permanent abolition of the tax to a development proposal: more than two million additional passengers in Sardinia, four new aircraft representing a stated investment of 400 million dollars, and the opening of a base in the north of the island. The airline also envisages more than 900 jobs over five years. These commitments are conditional on a change to the tax; they are not investments that have already been approved. In May, regional president Alessandra Todde had challenged the lack of concrete guarantees regarding the jobs announced.
For Alghero, a permanent Ryanair base could affect the availability of connections during the low season as well, but for now its opening is only a prospect put forward by the airline. In Olbia, meanwhile, the winter offering also depends on other carriers: Volotea has announced connections for winter 2026–2027, with routes to several Italian and European cities and the launch of service to Madrid. This programme does not change the cuts announced by Ryanair.