Ryanair will end all flights between Riga and two German cities in October 2025, citing the impact of higher aviation taxes and increased fees in Germany. The Irish low-cost carrier confirmed through its schedule that the final Riga–Memmingen service will operate on 23 October, followed by the last Riga–Cologne flight on 29 October, just before the winter timetable begins.
The withdrawal will remove an estimated 150,000 annual seats from the Latvia–Germany market and marks a setback for Riga’s connectivity with Western Europe. Latvian media including TV3 and BalticNews previously reported the routes would be unavailable from November, while airport officials in Riga confirmed that the services would not continue into the winter season. Ryanair plans to redeploy the aircraft to bases in Italy, Poland and Spain, while AirBaltic is preparing to increase capacity on its Berlin–Riga flights.
Final Flights in October
Timetable data on Ryanair’s website shows that tickets are no longer on sale for Riga–Cologne services after 29 October 2025. For the Riga–Memmingen route, the last scheduled flight is on 23 October. This matches earlier reports that the carrier would withdraw the routes at the transition to the winter season starting on 31 October.
Riga Airport confirmed in early September that Ryanair will not operate flights to Cologne or Memmingen during the winter schedule. The cancellation affects services that had provided regular links between Latvia and two secondary German markets. Ryanair has not detailed passenger load factors on the affected routes but industry estimates suggest around 150,000 seats per year will be lost.
AirBaltic to Fill Part of the Gap
AirBaltic intends to expand its presence in the Germany–Latvia market. The airline has announced plans to operate nine weekly Berlin–Riga services during the summer 2025 schedule and is evaluating potential increases to Frankfurt and Munich. While this expansion does not fully compensate for the loss of Ryanair’s Cologne and Memmingen flights, it offers additional capacity on one of the largest Germany–Latvia city pairs.
Tourism officials in Latvia have warned that the reduction in direct low-cost connections could limit inbound travel from regional German markets. Industry observers note that Memmingen in particular is popular with leisure travelers and serves as a low-cost alternative to Munich. The cancellation of these flights may reduce visitor numbers and have knock-on effects for hotels and tour operators.
German Tax Policy at the Center
Ryanair has consistently criticized German aviation policy, arguing that higher passenger taxes and doubled air-traffic control fees are driving airlines to scale back capacity. The carrier said Germany was “pricing itself out of the low-fare market” and has previously reduced services at airports across the country. The decision to cut the Riga–Germany routes extends this strategy to international links.
Although Latvian media reported the cancellations in early September, Ryanair’s own booking engine now confirms the exact final operating dates for the routes. No statements have been issued by German authorities in response to the cuts, and there has been no indication that the tax increases will be rolled back. As a result, further adjustments to Ryanair’s German schedule cannot be ruled out.
Wider Cuts in Spain and Austria
The Riga cancellations come as Ryanair is also scaling back operations elsewhere in Europe. In Spain, Ryanair announced it will cut about 1 million winter seats after a dispute with airport operator Aena over a 6.5 percent fee increase. The reductions affect 36 routes and include base closures in Santiago de Compostela and the suspension of flights from Vigo and Tenerife Norte.
Ryanair said the decision was driven by rising charges in Spain, while Aena countered that the fee increase amounts to only €0.68 per passenger and accused the airline of exaggerating. Competitors such as Vueling, Iberia Express and Binter have announced capacity increases to fill some of the gap left by Ryanair’s cuts.
In Vienna, Ryanair is removing three aircraft and suspending several routes for winter 2025, citing high local taxes and airport fees. These moves underscore the airline’s broader strategy of trimming services in markets it deems less cost-effective, while reallocating aircraft to countries offering more favorable conditions.
Redeployment of Aircraft
Ryanair is likely to reassign some of the capacity freed by dropping Riga-Cologne and Riga-Memmingen routes to markets with lower fees and more favourable regulatory environments, such as Italy and Poland, continuing its pattern during recent route cuts.
For passengers, the changes mean fewer direct options between Latvia and regional Germany. While larger hubs such as Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich will continue to be served by other carriers, the absence of low-cost links to Cologne and Memmingen is likely to raise average fares and reduce competition on these routes.
As of 22 September, Ryanair has not issued a fresh corporate statement beyond earlier criticisms of German charges. The company’s current schedules indicate that the last Riga–Memmingen flight will depart on 23 October and the last Riga–Cologne flight will operate on 29 October. After that date, no direct services between Riga and Germany remain in Ryanair’s network.
