European airports give away €4 billion to low-cost airlines every year

In theory, a low-cost airline brings thousands of passengers to airports, who then become consumers and generate revenue (parking, shops, restaurants, car rentals). In practice, these companies receive a flood of money, in the form of incentives, to offer routes to various Italian and European airports. But these extra costs are then passed on to the passengers themselves, who see increased ticket prices due to increased airport taxes and even higher consumer prices at bars (€3 for a bottle of mineral water and now €2 for a coffee).

In 2025, low-cost airlines received approximately 4 billion euros from European airports; in 2024, it was 3,6 billion, of which the largest share went to Ryanair (approximately Estimated €1,9 billion), followed by Wizz Air (over 650 million) and other companies. This money, formally raised by the companies that manage Europe's 320 airports, also comes from various state, regional, and local contributions. Always with the idea of ​​encouraging tourism brought by low-cost airlines. Not to mention funds coming from the European Union, which also prohibits subsidies to airlines. An example? The European Commission has authorized incentives totaling 120 million euro to support the launch of new routes to and from Calabrian airports. Another example comes from the commercial agreement between the company that manages Fiumicino Airport in Rome and Wizz Air., which collects 18–20 million euros per year to maintain its flights at the capital's airport. 

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