Popular low-fare carrier, Ryanair, is due to close its Athens base for the winter season 2022/23 making it a summer-seasonal destination for the airline.
The airline is due to close its base from 29 October, 2022 stating that the airport’s ‘dysfunctional’ charging structure which favours German operators is to blame.
Eddie Wilson, Ryanair’s CEO said: “Athens Airport is a prime example of how the Green government and German high-cost ownership is failing to deliver for Greece’s people and economy.”
He added that the “failure of engagement by the Greek government has already led to Ryanair’s closure of our Rhodes base this summer and has now forced us to close our Athens base this October and reallocate this capacity to lower cost competing destinations, such as Italy, Spain, Cyprus and Portugal.”
The announcement is a blow to Ryanair’s previously outlined growth plans, as the Greek government has failed to lower its airport charges and help boost traffic in the post-pandemic recovery (as Croatia and Portugal have done, amongst others).
