Ryanair’s base at “Macedonia” airport up in the air, concerns over blow to Thessaloniki tourism

The imaginable closure of Ryanair’s basal astatine Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia is being described arsenic a large stroke to the metropolis by tourism and section stakeholders, who are hoping for clearer answers pursuing a captious gathering scheduled for today, Tuesday.

In this context, the beardown mobilization seen successful Thessaloniki implicit the past 24 hours is nary coincidence. A cardinal online gathering with Ryanair absorption is acceptable for this afternoon, pursuing a petition by the city’s mayor, Stelios Angeloudis. The purpose is to clarify the airline’s intentions and supply authoritative accusation connected what has really happened.

So far, the hose has not issued ceremonial announcements, but it cites precocious airdrome fees and charges astatine “Macedonia,” which is managed by Fraport Greece.

The Risk of Closure

Ryanair presently bases 3 craft successful Thessaloniki. However, owed to what it claims are precocious charges, it is leaving unfastened the anticipation of shutting down the basal from October 2026, pointing to a requested 15% summation successful fees to renew its contract.

This attack is emblematic of Ryanair’s long-standing strategy and often assertive rhetoric erstwhile it considers definite European airports little cost-effective compared to others.

Broader Pressures

The concern is further analyzable by the geopolitical situation successful the Middle East, which has importantly accrued aviation substance costs—adding $50 cardinal to Ryanair’s substance measure successful April alone. Although the hose hedges astir 80% of its substance needs, vulnerability to the remaining information inactive creates risk, particularly during the high-demand summertime season.

As a result, Ryanair is already making large cuts. Just past week, it announced the closure of its basal successful Berlin, reducing flights to and from the metropolis by 50% and relocating craft to lower-cost airports successful countries specified arsenic Sweden, Slovakia, Albania, and Italy.

Earlier, successful April, the hose besides announced a caller basal successful Tirana, investing $400 cardinal and readying 44 routes for summertime 2026, aiming for a 50% summation successful rider postulation to 4 cardinal passengers. According to the company, this enlargement is driven by Albania’s zero aviation taxation argumentation and improvement incentives offered by Tirana’s airport.

Impact connected Greece and Thessaloniki

In Greece, Ryanair has antecedently closed bases—such arsenic successful Rhodes (2022) and Chania (2018)—often citing precocious fees, though it has aboriginal returned owed to beardown tourism demand.

For Thessaloniki, however, the imaginable closure comes astatine a delicate time. The metropolis has been experiencing dependable growth, with the airdrome playing a cardinal role:

• Passenger postulation roseate by 5.1% successful Q1 2026, reaching 1.47 million
• International postulation exceeded 857,000 passengers (+4.2%)
• In 2025, full postulation reached 7.98 cardinal passengers (+8.2%)

The airdrome is simply a large operator among the 14 determination airports managed by Fraport Greece, supported by incentives specified arsenic discounts connected airdrome fees and encouragement for off-season flights.

Why It Matters

If Ryanair yet closes its base, stakeholders fearfulness a important interaction connected tourism, connectivity, and the section system of Thessaloniki. A basal is not conscionable astir flights—it means imperishable craft presence, crews, and operational infrastructure. Losing it could trim routes, bounds accessibility, and dilatory the city’s upward trajectory successful some home and planetary travel.

All eyes are present connected today’s discussions, which whitethorn find whether Thessaloniki retains a cardinal subordinate successful its aviation and tourism ecosystem.