Ryanair criticizes Sardinia over passenger surcharge policy

Ryanair has criticized the Sardinian government for failing to abolish the municipal surcharge on passengers for the entire year. The airline argues that the current partial measures penalize the island's competitiveness and limit growth in tourism, traffic, and employment. Ryanair noted that other Italian regions, such as Sicily and Emilia-Romagna, have already eliminated the surcharge, resulting in double-digit traffic growth.

The airline stated that its proposed 400 million dollar investment—which included four new aircraft and the potential creation of 900 jobs—can only be realized if competitiveness is restored. Due to the timing of the government's response, which occurred after winter flight schedules were finalized, Ryanair expects only limited growth this winter. While some domestic frequencies from Cagliari will increase, overall capacity in Sardinia, specifically in Alghero and Olbia, is expected to decrease.

Local political figures, including Michele Pais of the Lega party, have labeled the regional government's recent actions a “farce.” Critics argue that the measures lack a cohesive strategy to secure stable connections and that without a formal framework linking public resources to concrete results like new routes and lower fares, the policy fails to protect Sardinian mobility.