Ryanair has reportedly informed staff of its decision to close its base in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, following a dispute over fees with the airport operator, German Fraport.
Local authorities and businesses are alarmed, as the airline’s withdrawal is expected to deal a significant blow to tourism. Thessaloniki Airport is a key gateway for travellers heading to northern Greece and the country’s islands.
The Irish airline currently employs around 200 staff in the city, including pilots and cabin crew. Three aircraft are stationed there, and the closure is expected to disrupt 37 routes.
Local media reports suggest the decision was not unexpected, as Ryanair has a track record of threatening base closures or route reductions as leverage in negotiations over airport operating costs.
Although the move has not been officially confirmed, the newspaper Kathimerini quotes Fraport sources as saying that Ryanair’s “threats” were nothing new and the airline had taken similar positions in other locations such as Crete and Berlin.
‘Held hostage by private companies’
Thessaloniki’s mayor, Stelios Angeloudis, has urged both sides to avoid “hasty decisions”, while asserting that the city would not be “held hostage by private companies”.
The municipality is pressuring Fraport to enter negotiations with Ryanair, and has also called on the Greek government to intervene, for example by exploring alternative airlines to cover any lost routes should the Irish carrier withdraw.
Frankfurt-based Fraport holds a 40-year concession to operate 13 airports across Greece, awarded as part of the country’s bailout programme during the financial crisis.
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