Ryanair will significantly reduce its operations and services at Stansted Airport this winter.

Budget airline Ryanair has today (21 July) announced a 40% reduction in its services provided at Stansted Airport.

The cutback will affect the airline’s winter capacity at the airport, beginning October and running until March 2010.

Ryanair currently operates 40 aircraft from Stansted but that figure will go down to 24 this winter, resulting in a 30% reduction in weekly flights and a loss of 2.5 million passengers at Stansted.

Despite the 40% cutback sounding like a significant drop in Ryanair’s operations at Stansted, the number of aircraft in service this winter will only be four fewer than last year.

In an announcement on its website, Ryanair said that Stansted being one of its most expensive bases, and the UK government’s decision to increase tourist tax from £10 to £11 in November were both key factors in the decision.

The airline also stated its displeasure with BAA’s organisation of various airports, calling it a “monopoly” and complained that airport charges continued to increase despite a fall in traffic.

The 16 aircraft being withdrawn from Stansted will be moved to other European bases, where governments are scrapping tourist taxes in order to stimulate tourism.

Ryanair has called on Gordon Brown to scrap tourist tax and push for more competitive airport fees at BAA airports.

Michael O’Leary, Ryanair Chief Executive, said: “Sadly UK traffic and tourism continues to collapse while Ryanair continues to grow rapidly in those countries which welcome tourists instead of taxing them.

“Ryanair’s 40% capacity cutback at London Stansted shows just how much Gordon Brown’s £10 tourist tax and the BAA Monopoly’s high airport charges are damaging London and UK tourism and the British economy generally.”