Eddie Wilson, the airline’s CEO, said the tax made it harder for smaller airports such as Cornwall Airport Newquay to attract new routes and called on the government to remove it.

APD is a tax paid by aircraft operators on flights departing from the UK, typically passed onto passengers through ticket prices. It was introduced in 1994 to raise revenue but is also seen by some as a measure to discourage unnecessary air travel for environmental reasons.

Wilson said: "It's harder for places like Newquay to attract airlines like Ryanair. We could do so much more here if they got rid of this stupid APD. It does nothing for the locality and it's just an easy tax to collect. But what happens is airlines don't put as much capacity in, so we could do so much more here."

The levy was increased on 1 April following a decision by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Wilson argued that the rise would make it even more difficult for regional airports to grow.

A HM Treasury spokesperson defended the policy, stating that it ensured the UK’s rates remained in line with those of other European countries.

The spokesperson said: "Changes to the rate of Air Passenger Duty have significantly fallen behind inflation in recent years. These changes mean we maintain similar rates to France and Germany, and will add just £2 for a family of four flying economy to Spain, with under-16s exempt."

The Treasury also noted that, unlike other sectors, aviation benefits from tax-free jet fuel and no VAT on tickets.

They added: "Changes to the rate of Air Passenger Duty have significantly fallen behind inflation in recent years," they said.

Ryanair currently operates a number of domestic and European routes from Cornwall Airport Newquay, including services to Dublin and Alicante but Wilson said that if APD were scrapped, Ryanair could expand further, bringing more passengers and investment to the region.