Ryanair halts low-fare Tel Aviv services over slot and terminal dispute

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Ryanair will not restart low-fare Tel Aviv flights this winter after Ben Gurion Airport refused to confirm Ryanair's historic S26 summer slots or guarantee continued availability of the low-cost Terminal 1. The airline says this decision removes 1 million seats and 22 routes from its winter schedule. Ryanair reports repeated disruptions this summer when Terminal 1 was closed and it was forced into the higher-cost Terminal 3, making low-fare services loss-making.

Ryanair says it protected its historic slots during prior disruptions and will only resume the 22 routes if Ben Gurion confirms S26 slots and that Terminal 1 will remain available or that T3 usage will be charged at T1 rates. The company regrets the impact on passengers but will not accept higher costs that render low-fare services unviable.

Positive

• None.

Negative

• Immediate suspension of winter low-fare Tel Aviv services resulting in a loss of 1 million seats and 22 routes from Ryanair's schedule.
• Ben Gurion Airport refused to confirm Ryanair's historic S26 slots, creating schedule uncertainty and preventing restart of services.
• Repeated closures of low-cost Terminal 1 forced Ryanair into higher-cost Terminal 3, making previously sold low-fare seats loss-making.
• Ryanair will not accept higher T3 costs and has conditioned service resumption on written confirmation of slot and Terminal 1 availability, risking continued capacity loss if unresolved.

Insights

Financial Analyst

Ryanair is cutting capacity to Tel Aviv (1m seats, 22 routes) until airport confirms slots and low-cost terminal access; revenue and network exposure reduced.

Ryanair has publicly announced a material operational pullback from Tel Aviv this winter, quantified as 1 million seats and 22 routes. That reduces near-term capacity and likely lowers winter ticket revenue tied to those routes. The stated driver is airport refusal to confirm S26 historic slots and uncertainty over low-cost Terminal 1 availability; higher terminal costs in T3 are cited as making those services loss-making. This is a clear unilateral capacity reduction tied to commercial terms rather than fleet or demand issues, implying a step-change in Ryanair's cost base at Ben Gurion if forced to operate from T3 at T3 rates. For investors, the impact is a tangible reduction in network reach and potential shortfall in ticket sales for the winter period unless airport terms change.

Corporate Governance Expert

The filing documents a contractual/operational dispute with Ben Gurion Airport that led Ryanair to suspend services until written confirmations are provided.

Ryanair frames the decision as a response to the airport's refusal to confirm historic S26 slots and the continued, repeated closure of Terminal 1. The company emphasizes prior preservation of slots during Covid and security disruptions, and it conditions resumption on written commitments from the airport. This disclosure is direct and specific about the operational criteria required for service resumption, signaling a firm negotiation stance. Governance-wise, the company is documenting its rationale and the passenger impact; the filing provides a clear accountability record for stakeholders regarding route suspension decisions.

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 6-K

Report of Foreign Private Issuer

Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the month of September 2025

RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC

(Translation of registrant's name into English)

c/o Ryanair Ltd Corporate Head Office

Dublin Airport

County Dublin Ireland

(Address of principal executive offices)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual

reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F..X.. Form 40-F 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information

contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the

Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange

Act of 1934.

Yes   No ..X..

If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant

in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________

RYANAIR WILL NOT RESTART TEL AVIV FLIGHTS, AS BEN GURION AIRPORT REFUSES TO CONFIRM S26 SLOTS, OR AVAILABILITY OF LOW-COST TERMINAL 1

RYANAIR WILL RESTART 22 LOW-FARE ROUTES ONLY WHEN T1 AVAILABILITY AND S26 SLOTS ARE CONFIRMED

Ryanair, Europe's No.1 airline, today (Tues, 30 Sept) announced it will not restart low-fare flights this winter to/from Tel Aviv (a loss of 1m seats and 22 routes), due to Ben Gurion Airport's refusal to confirm Ryanair's historic slots for S26 (summer schedules are now on sale) and their refusal to confirm that low-cost T1 will remain open during future security issues.

Ryanair's low-fare Tel Aviv services were repeatedly disrupted this summer, due to security concerns over Israeli airspace and Tel Aviv Airport's repeated decisions (3 times) to close the low-cost T1 and force Ryanair into high-cost

T3. Low-fare seats that were sold by Ryanair on the basis of low-cost T1 facilities were rendered loss making, due to the high costs in T3.

Ryanair sincerely regrets that it cannot launch its winter schedule to Tel Aviv, which would offer 22 low-fare routes (which are loss-making in the winter) without the certainty that it can continue to operate these flights for S26 (S26 schedules are already on sale). Despite protecting these historic slots during Covid and previous security disruptions in Israel, Tel Aviv Airport have refused in written correspondence to confirm Ryanair's S26 slots, or to confirm that it will in future keep the low-cost T1 open (a facility that it has repeatedly closed) which would avoid forcing low-fare airlines, like Ryanair, into the high-cost T3 facility, while demanding that Ryanair pay the higher costs of T3. Ryanair will no longer accept these higher costs, when T1 is being closed solely for the convenience of Tel Aviv Airport.

A Ryanair spokesperson said:

"We are fed up having our low-fare flights repeatedly messed around by Ben Gurion Airport. It is absurd that they refused to confirm our summer 2026 slots, when summer 2026 schedules are already on sale. We appreciate that many airlines - including Ryanair - cancelled their flights to/from Tel Aviv this summer, but only because it was unsafe to operate there. We are not willing to restart loss-making flights to/from Tel Aviv for the winter season, without the certainty that our summer 2026 historic slots have been confirmed. It is also unacceptable to Ryanair and our low-fare, price sensitive passengers, that our growth at Tel Aviv Airport is dependent upon the availability of the low-cost T1 facility. However, Tel Aviv Airport keeps closing this facility for its own convenience, forcing Ryanair, and other low-cost airlines, into the more expensive T3 - where we do not want to be - but they refuse to honour the low-cost agreement, which T1 facilities provide. We have no difficulty working with Tel Aviv Airport to temporarily move to T3 - if that suits the needs and convenience of Ben Gurion

Airport - but these services should continue to be costed at the T1 rates, and not at the T3 rates. Ryanair has sold thousands of low-fare seats, which are contingent upon the low-cost facilities in T1 remaining open and available.

Until such time as Ben Gurion Airport confirm our historic S26 slots, and confirm that they will in future keep T1 open, we will not restart low-fare flights to/from Tel Aviv this winter. We regret this means that Tel Aviv will no longer have access to Ryanair's much lower fares, or to the 22 routes we operated last winter, but until such time as Tel Aviv are willing to honour their low-cost agreements with Ryanair, we are unwilling to restart flights there. Should Ben Gurion wish to confirm our summer 2026 slots and confirm that they will honour our low-cost T1 agreement, then we will look forward to returning to Tel Aviv with Ryanair's services, offering 22 routes at fares which no other airline in Tel Aviv can match, or compete with."

ENDS

For further info

please contact: Ryanair Press Office                         

T: +353-1-9451799

E: press@ryanair.com

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC

Date: 30 September, 2025

By:___/s/ Juliusz Komorek____

Juliusz Komorek

Company Secretary

FAQ

Why is Ryanair (RYAAY) not restarting flights to Tel Aviv this winter?

Because Ben Gurion Airport refused to confirm Ryanair's historic S26 summer slots and would not confirm future availability of the low-cost Terminal 1, Ryanair says it cannot operate low-fare services without those assurances.

How many seats and routes does Ryanair say will be affected?

Ryanair states the decision removes 1 million seats and 22 low-fare routes from its winter schedule to/from Tel Aviv.

What is Ryanair's complaint about Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 at Ben Gurion Airport?

Ryanair says Terminal 1 (low-cost) has been repeatedly closed, forcing operations into Terminal 3 where costs are higher; Ryanair will not accept paying T3 rates for services sold as T1 low-fare seats.

Under what conditions will Ryanair resume Tel Aviv services?

Ryanair said it will resume the 22 routes if Ben Gurion Airport confirms in writing Ryanair's historic S26 slots and guarantees that Terminal 1 will remain available or that T3 usage will be costed at T1 rates.

Did Ryanair indicate prior protections for its slots?

Yes. Ryanair states it protected its historic slots during Covid and previous security disruptions but has not received written confirmation for S26.