Ryanair decision to close Thessaloniki base officially announced

Irish low-cost bearer Ryanair officially announced connected Friday that it will adjacent its basal astatine Thessaloniki Airport astatine the extremity of October, confirming media reports earlier this week.

The determination follows a quality with airdrome relation Fraport Greece implicit a planned 66% summation successful airdrome charges and a breakdown successful negotiations betwixt the two sides. The announcement was made during a property league successful Athens by Ryanair Chief Commercial Officer Jason McGuinness.

According to the airline, Ryanair’s formation docket from Thessaloniki will beryllium reduced by 60% starting successful October.

“The contention is aggravated and there is mostly an contented with a sufficient fig of aircraft, so staying successful Thessaloniki is not advantageous for us,” McGuinness said, adding that the 66% interest summation was unsustainable, peculiarly arsenic neighboring countries connection importantly little airdrome charges.

Ryanair had appealed to the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority aft being informed respective months agone astir the planned interest hikes, but the entreaty was rejected.

The airline’s Thessaloniki basal presently employs astir 100 staff, chiefly pilots and compartment crew, and hosts three aircraft. Those positions are expected to beryllium affected by the closure decision.