Air France will gradually cease operations at Paris-Orly by 2026, except for Corsica flights, paving the way for low-cost airlines. Ryanair will start flights to Bergamo and Bratislava in 2025, marking its first move into Orly. Volotea and LOT are also expanding their services, with Volotea adding routes to Italy and LOT launching daily flights to Warsaw. Meanwhile, established carriers like Transavia, easyJet, and Vueling are enhancing their offerings at the airport.
Air France’s Departure from Paris-Orly
Air France is set to conclude its nearly 70-year presence at Paris-Orly Airport by gradually withdrawing operations by 2026, with the exception of flights to Corsica. In its place, low-cost carriers are gearing up to dominate the airport’s landscape. Starting in 2025, several budget airlines, including Ryanair, will begin operations at Paris-Orly, having secured essential takeoff and landing slots, according to reports from AFP and the Association for the Coordination of Air Schedules (Cohor). Ryanair’s inaugural flights from Orly are scheduled to commence on April 1st.
Ryanair’s Strategic Expansion
Ryanair has strategically acquired slots for flights to the Italian city of Bergamo and Bratislava, Slovakia, marking a significant development for the airline. Passengers can expect two daily round trips to these destinations, which have not been previously serviced from this airport.
This move represents a monumental shift for Ryanair, which has historically avoided Parisian airports due to perceived high costs and operational complexities. Despite an attempt to secure slots at Orly in 2015, the airline had consistently opted for Beauvais Airport, where it has been operating since 1997. In 2023 alone, Ryanair conducted over 33,000 flights, transporting more than 5 million international travelers and offering a range of over 80 destinations from Oise.
Additionally, Ryanair’s expansion comes amid warnings that the airline may halt operations at 10 regional French airports if new aviation tax hikes, effective January 1, 2025, are implemented.
Another airline making its mark is Volotea, which has successfully secured slots for 13 weekly flights from Orly to various Italian destinations, including Ancona, Olbia, Alghero, Turin, and Verona. This shift indicates a new direction for Volotea, which had previously focused on interregional routes. The Polish airline LOT is also set to introduce daily flights to Warsaw, facing competition from Wizz Air, which plans to launch two weekly flights to the Polish capital.
Other established airlines at Paris-Orly, such as Transavia, easyJet, and Vueling, are also benefiting from new slots. Transavia will commence a daily route to Amsterdam, while easyJet expands its network with new destinations including Skopje, Sofia, and Southampton. Vueling will add Salerno, Italy, to its offerings, further enriching the travel options available at Paris-Orly.