Ryanair, a prominent budget airline, has significantly altered its European network by closing its base in Thessaloniki, Greece, and reducing operations at Athens Airport for the forthcoming winter season. This strategic shift will lead to the cancellation of 12 European routes and the removal of an estimated 700,000 seats from its overall capacity.
The Impact on Connectivity
The decision, announced over the weekend, directly affects travellers with planned journeys on routes such as Thessaloniki to Berlin, Chania, Frankfurt-H, Gothenburg, Heraklion, Niederrhein, Poznan, Stockholm, Venice-T, and Zagreb. Additionally, the Athens to Milan-M and Chania to Paphos routes will also be axed. Ryanair has also indicated the withdrawal of aircraft from Chania and Heraklion. The airline suggests that these routes and the Thessaloniki base might resume operations after the 2026/27 winter season concludes, hinting at a potential future recalibration of its network.
Ryanair's Grievances Over Airport Costs
The budget carrier has squarely blamed "hopelessly uncompetitive costs" levied by the German-run Fraport Greece monopoly and Athens Airport for this substantial cutback. Ryanair claims that despite a 75% reduction in the Airport Development Fee (ADF) by the Greek government from November 2024, most Greek airports, particularly those managed by Fraport Greece, have not passed this saving onto passengers. Instead, Ryanair alleges these entities have "pocketed the tax cut for themselves" and continued to increase charges, with Fraport Greece's charges reportedly being over 66% higher than pre-Covid levels. Athens Airport is also slated to increase its charges this winter. Ryanair has warned that such practices hinder its ambitious expansion plans for Greece, which had included launching 50 new routes over the next five years. The airline insists that growth is contingent on frozen airport charges and the full pass-through of the ADF reduction to passengers.
Industry Reactions and Wider Context
Fraport, however, has refuted Ryanair's claims, stating that the decision is "exclusively related" to the carrier's commercial strategy and profitability considerations, and that any link to airport charges is "entirely unfounded." Fraport Greece highlighted its investment of over €100 million in upgrading Thessaloniki Airport. This move by Ryanair comes amidst broader concerns about rising operational costs in the aviation sector. While Ryanair has hedged a significant portion of its jet fuel requirements until March 2027, other airlines have faced challenges. EasyJet, for instance, has introduced a "Book with Confidence Promise" to reassure travellers against post-booking price increases and fuel surcharges, aiming to operate its full summer schedule. Meanwhile, concerns about potential jet fuel shortages due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have been circulating, although major UK airlines have stated they are not currently experiencing disruptions. The UK's travel landscape is also being shaped by other factors, including potential new tourism taxes in major cities and ongoing rail disruptions due to engineering works and potential industrial action, impacting budget travel planning for the year ahead.