SWORDS, IRELAND— Ryanair (FR) has unveiled a record Winter 2026 schedule for the Polish capital, adding 12 new routes across Warsaw Modlin (WMI) and Warsaw Chopin (WAW) airports. The low-cost carrier will base two additional aircraft at Modlin and grow combined annual traffic to four million passengers across both gateways.
The expansion adds new links to Bristol (BRS) and Manchester (MAN) from Modlin, and Liverpool (LPL) from Chopin, alongside several Italian and Central European destinations. The two new aircraft at Modlin represent a further $200 million investment and lift the airline’s fleet based there to eight jets.
Inside Ryanair’s Dual-Airport Warsaw Growth
Ryanair confirmed the Winter 2026 plan on 29 May, describing it as the airline’s largest winter program for Warsaw to date. The carrier will operate 46 routes across both airports, with 12 of them entirely new, and expects traffic to climb to four million passengers per year.
Warsaw Modlin remains the airline’s primary Warsaw base. With eight-based aircraft, Ryanair will run 30 routes from Modlin, including five new destinations: Bristol, Manchester, Bratislava (BTS), Shannon (SNN), and Zagreb (ZAG). The added capacity is set to double Modlin traffic from 1.5 million to more than 3.2 million passengers annually.
At Warsaw Chopin, Ryanair is adding seven new routes and expanding its network there to 16 destinations. The new services cover Liverpool, Bari (BRI), Bologna (BLQ), Catania (CTA), Naples (NAP), Turin (TRN), and Venice (VCE). Passenger numbers at Chopin are projected to grow by more than 50 percent to around 800,000 per year.
Investment, Jobs, and Regional Impact
The two new Modlin-based aircraft form part of a wider, multi-year commitment to the airport. The expansion is expected to support over 2,500 jobs, including 240 high-paid pilot and cabin crew roles.
Ryanair has positioned Modlin as its fastest-growing Polish airport under an agreement that funds new terminal capacity, additional routes, and lower fares for the Mazovia region.
The dual-airport approach gives travelers more flexibility. Modlin handles the bulk of the low-fare leisure network, while Chopin offers point-to-point options from Poland’s largest airport for passengers who prefer the central gateway.
Belgian ATC Strike Disruption
The Warsaw announcement followed a separate operational setback. On 2 June, Ryanair cancelled more than 100 flights at short notice after what it called an illegal wildcat strike by Belgian air traffic controllers.
The cancellations affected services to and from Charleroi (CRL) and Brussels Zaventem (BRU), disrupting the plans of nearly 20,000 passengers, according to the airline.
Ryanair said it was unacceptable that passengers faced cancellations and delays because a small number of controllers chose to strike with no notice to airlines that pay millions of euros each year for air traffic control services.
The carrier argued that any strike should come with at least 24 hours of notice so airlines can rearrange flights and protect passengers, many of whom travel with young families on holiday.
Chief Executive Officer Michael O’Leary said the airline respects the right to strike but stressed that zero notice left carriers unable to react. He added that fair warning would allow airlines to reorganise schedules and limit the impact on travelers who pay for what he described as high-priced but low-service air traffic control.
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