Ryanair has announced the closure of its Thessaloniki base and the cancellation of 12 routes for the winter of 2026, resulting in the loss of 700,000 seats. The budget airline attributed the decision to excessive airport charges imposed by Fraport Greece, the German-run operator of 14 Greek airports, and Athens Airport.
Reasons for the Cuts
Ryanair stated that Greek airports have failed to pass on a 75% reduction in the Airport Development Fee (ADF) from €12 to €3 per passenger, introduced by the Greek government in November 2024. Instead, Fraport Greece has increased charges by 66% above pre-Covid levels. Athens Airport also plans to hike charges this winter. Ryanair argued that this makes Greek airports uncompetitive during off-peak months, when low-fare connectivity is crucial for tourism.
Impact on Connectivity
The airline noted that the closure will particularly affect Thessaloniki, where Ryanair provided 90% of international capacity last winter. The removal of three based aircraft and 10 routes will reduce winter capacity by 60% compared to winter 2025. Ryanair will reallocate these aircraft to Albania, regional Italy, and Sweden, where airports have passed on tax savings.
Affected Routes
The cancelled routes from Thessaloniki include Berlin, Chania, Frankfurt-Hahn, Gothenburg, Heraklion, Niederrhein, Poznan, Stockholm, Venice-Treviso, and Zagreb. Additionally, the Athens to Milan-Malpensa route and the Chania to Paphos route will be cut. Ryanair has also suspended operations at Chania and Heraklion during off-peak months.
Fraport's Response
Fraport Greece rejected Ryanair's claims, stating the decision is driven by the airline's commercial strategy and profitability. It said any link to airport charges is unfounded and highlighted its €100 million investment to upgrade Thessaloniki Airport.
In a separate development, Ryanair also announced the closure of its Berlin base and a 50% reduction in winter flights to the German capital, citing high aviation taxes in Germany. The airline will relocate seven aircraft, reducing Berlin passenger numbers from 4.5 million to 2.2 million annually.
