Ryanair on Friday confirmed numerous media reports this week in announcing that it will close its operating base at Thessaloniki’s Makedonia Airport during the upcoming winter season, claiming that talks with facility operator Fraport Greece failed to resolve a dispute over rising airport charges, a senior company executive said.

Speaking to reporters in Athens, Ryanair Chief Commercial Officer Jason McGuinness said the Irish low-cost carrier would scale back its presence in the Greek market after what he described as repeated fee increases by Fraport Greece, which manages 14 regional airports across the country.

Inauguration event of the 14 Fraport Greece management airports at the Makedonia airport in Thessaloniki in on May 19, 2021.  

“Fraport Greece continued to increase charges, which are now 66% above pre-Covid levels,” McGuinness said.

The airline said the decision would result in the loss of approximately 700,000 seats and the cancellation of 12 routes across the country during the winter season. Ryanair also plans to suspend operations at the airports of Chania (Hania) and Heraklion (Irakleio) – both on Crete – during off-peak months, while reducing winter capacity at the Athens International Airport.

Fraport reax

Conversely, Fraport Greece has defended its pricing policy in recent days, arguing that airport charges remain competitive relative to comparable European regional hubs and are necessary to support infrastructure upgrades and operational costs. The operator has also pointed to significant investments carried out since taking over management of the 14 regional airports in Greece in 2017 under a long-term concession agreement.

Ryanair has repeatedly warned it would shift aircraft to markets offering lower operating costs and stronger growth incentives. The airline has recently expanded operations in countries including Italy, Poland and parts of central and eastern Europe while scaling back capacity in airports where it maintains charges have risen too quickly.

Tourism is a key economic sector for Greece, accounting for roughly a quarter of economic output directly and indirectly, according to industry estimates. Regional airports, particularly in island destinations, play a central role in sustaining both tourism revenues and domestic connectivity.