Ryanair cancels flights from Edinburgh to Riga: what we know about the changes.

Ryanair reduces flights to Riga

According to The Sun: The airline Ryanair has announced a decrease in the number of flights to Riga - one of the most popular European capitals. The reason for this is the soaring cost of servicing, which has led the budget carrier to reduce its winter capacity to the Latvian capital.

The company will cut 160,000 seats to Riga and close seven international routes. Among them are flights from Edinburgh, Aarhus, Berlin, Gdansk, Gothenburg, Memmingen, and Paris.

Reasons for the cuts

The main reason for these changes is the increase in costs for access to airports, including airport fees and aviation taxes. As the company noted, this makes Riga less competitive compared to other routes, leading to a decrease in demand for flights to the capital of Latvia.

“While countries like Albania, Poland, Sweden, and Italy are lowering access costs and abolishing aviation taxes to stimulate traffic growth, rising costs at Riga Airport is stifling expansion and putting hundreds of jobs at risk.”

“Recently the Latvian Govt. and Riga Airport have committed to improving the competitiveness of Latvian Aviation, subject to which Ryanair will prioritise Latvia for more low-fare seats, new routes, and additional based aircraft.”

According to Ryanair’s manager, Jason McGuinness, the company continues to work with the Latvian government and Riga Airport, hoping for further growth in traffic and tourism.

Riga's popularity among tourists

Riga is known for its beautiful buildings and cobbled streets of the Old Town, which are perfect for walking. The St. Peter's Church with its impressive 400-foot spire is particularly popular.

The Central Market in Riga is also a landmark with five pavilions that attract visitors. In May 2025, the city was recognized as the best in Europe for short-term holiday cost. A weekend for two costs just £253, and food and drink prices are indeed affordable: the average cost of a cup of coffee is £2.80, and beer is £3.50.

Thus, Ryanair continues to reduce its routes and plans to decrease its transport volumes to Spain next year. These changes may impact the tourist flow to Riga and its economy in general, especially in the winter period when the demand for travel is usually lower.