Ryanair Loses Two Eindhoven Landing Slots After Repeated Delays

Ryanair stripped of two Eindhoven landing slots after repeated lateness

The Airport Coordination Netherlands (ACNL) has removed two of Ryanair's landing slots at Eindhoven Airport after finding a sustained pattern of late arrivals. The slots affected were associated with Monday evening flights from Sofia, Bulgaria, and Thursday evening flights from Pisa, Italy. The withdrawal takes effect with next summer's schedule.

ACNL said the airline repeatedly breached slot-use rules by delaying those services dozens of times, disrupting slot utilisation and punctuality at the regional airport. The regulator issued formal warnings earlier in the season before imposing the sanctions.

Ryanair appealed the decision but lost in court, where judges concluded that ACNL followed required procedures in issuing warnings and applying the penalty. Industry sources note that sanctions of this scale against a commercial carrier are uncommon, underscoring the authority of slot coordinators to enforce on-time performance and protect the interests of other airlines and passengers.

Passenger impact and wider context

Passengers on the affected routes can expect timetable changes and reduced frequencies when next summer's timetable is published. The action comes as Ryanair has said it will cut some services across Europe next summer, citing tax increases in parts of the region; the airline has indicated it will halt flights to several regional French airports, including Strasbourg, Bergerac and Vatry.

Why this matters: Slot coordinators aim to ensure efficient use of airport capacity. When airlines persistently fail to operate on time, coordinators can withdraw rights to prevent ongoing disruption and to maintain fairness among carriers.

ACNL's move highlights how regulators can use slot reallocation to incentivise punctuality and protect network reliability at busy airports.