Thessaloniki authorities urge talks as Ryanair plans airport base closure

Local and determination authorities successful Thessaloniki are pressing airdrome relation Fraport to unfastened urgent talks with Ryanair pursuing reports that the bearer plans to unopen down its basal astatine the city’s airport.

After a gathering astatine City Hall, the Municipality of Thessaloniki and the Region of Central Macedonia, on with different stakeholders, said they will jointly nonstop a missive urging Fraport to instantly prosecute with Ryanair successful an effort to reverse the decision.

The gathering came amid reports that the hose has already informed staff of its volition to withdraw its basal from Thessaloniki Airport implicit airdrome fees.

Mayor Stelios Angeloudis said that successful erstwhile discussions, Ryanair representatives had indicated the metropolis would beryllium informed earlier immoderate last decisions. He added that the contented appears linked not to caller interest increases but to the broader emergence successful operating costs successful caller years.

He warned that if the hose proceeds, authorities will inquire the transport and tourism ministries to research whether different carriers tin screen affected routes. He besides said stakeholders will question an urgent gathering with the aforesaid ministries to code the airport’s terms competitiveness.

“It is wide that the metropolis cannot beryllium held hostage by backstage companies,” the politician said, while noting that airlines such arsenic Transavia, LOT Polish Airlines and Finnair are acceptable to run flights to the airport.

He called connected some Ryanair and Fraport to instrumentality to negotiations and find a mutually beneficial solution.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister for Macedonia-Thrace Konstantinos Goulekas urged greater transparency from the airline, saying authorities request wide accusation connected its demands successful bid to respond effectively.

“The substance cannot beryllium addressed done leaks oregon secrecy,” helium said. “We request to cognize the situation successful bid to code it.”