Ryanair has launched its Winter 2025 schedule for London and the wider UK, introducing five exciting new routes to boost connectivity.
From London Luton, travellers can now fly to Wroclaw, while London Stansted gains four new destinations: Lübeck, Münster, Murcia, and Trapani.
With these additions, Ryanair connects Stansted to more European cities than Heathrow, offering significantly lower fares compared to the high prices charged by Heathrow-based airlines.
Ryanair UK Growth in 2025
As the UK’s largest airline, Ryanair expects to carry 60 million passengers in 2025, nearly double the traffic of British Airways.
The airline is poised for further growth, having submitted ambitious plans to the Starmer government to increase UK passenger numbers by 33% to 80 million over the next five years.
However, Ryanair emphasizes that this growth depends on the government scrapping Air Passenger Duty (APD) taxes and reforming the UK’s air traffic control (ATC) system, particularly the underperforming National Air Traffic Services (NATS).
Driving Growth Through Competitive Policies
Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, highlighted the airline’s commitment to expanding in the UK. “We’ve surpassed EasyJet and British Airways to become the UK’s top airline, with 60 million passengers expected in 2025,” O’Leary said.
“We’re eager to drive further traffic and tourism growth across our 22 UK airports, supported by our order of 340 new Boeing aircraft arriving over the next eight years.”
For this vision to succeed, O’Leary urges Chancellor Rachel Reeves to eliminate APD, a tax he argues stifles UK aviation and tourism.
He points to countries like Sweden, Hungary, Albania, and regional Italy, where governments have abolished similar environmental taxes, resulting in booming traffic, tourism, and job creation.
“Rachel Reeves talks about growth but hasn’t delivered,” O’Leary stated. “Scrapping APD would make UK air travel competitive again, especially in the regions, and mirror the success seen across Europe.”
New Aircraft and ATC Reform
This winter, Ryanair will receive 29 new Boeing B737 aircraft, which it hopes to deploy in the UK. However, O’Leary warns that high APD taxes could divert these aircraft to countries with more favorable policies.
“We’d love to base these new planes in the UK, but without APD reform, they’ll go to Sweden, Hungary, or Italy, where governments prioritize growth,” he explained.
Additionally, Ryanair is calling for urgent reform of the UK’s ATC system, criticizing NATS for its consistent failures under CEO Martin Rolfe.
O’Leary argues that Rolfe’s mismanagement leads to delays and disruptions for passengers. “The government owns 49% of NATS and has the power to replace Rolfe with a competent leader,” he said.
“Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander’s claim that she can’t act is simply untrue. A capable CEO could transform NATS into an efficient service, ensuring a smoother travel experience for everyone this winter.”
Conclusion
Ryanair’s Winter 2025 schedule underscores its commitment to affordable travel and economic growth in the UK.
By expanding routes, investing in new aircraft, and advocating for policy changes, the airline aims to strengthen its position as a leader in European aviation.
However, the airline says that its ability to deliver depends on government action. Abolishing APD and reforming NATS could unlock significant benefits for passengers, regional economies, and the UK’s tourism industry, making air travel more accessible and efficient for all.
