Can Ryanair to announce, noisily as always, his departure from Hellas until next summer, but the chief executive of a low-cost airline, Eddie Wilsonis in Athens and is seeking some kind of agreement either with government either with airportsto ensure low air fares, at least during the winter season.

Ten days ago, Ryanair announced that it would close its base in Athens at the end of October and take back two planes parked there, citing high per-passenger fees. The fees are provided for by the concession agreement between the airport operators and the Greek state and apply to all companies without exception horizontally.

A week later, yesterday on Monday, Mr. Wilson landed in Athens and met with Minister of Tourism Vasilis Kikilia, and yesterday he also visited Chania, from where, we recall, Ryanair also decided to limit its activities shortly before the pandemic. Question from K whether he believes that the aggressive negotiating tactics he is credited with both in Greece and elsewhere can have an effect, he asserted his right to demand “what is best for his company”. However, he added that he was asking not for special treatment, but for a reduction in fees “for all airlines, at least during the winter months.” Noting that Lufthansa and other airlines are increasing the number of available seats in Greece this winter, he said his own group wants a long-term deal to bring 60% more passengers a year here than this year. Specifically, he was talking about potentially 10 million passengers a year, compared to the 6 million he’s showing now.

However, whether or not he increases the number of flights to Greece, he says he is particularly optimistic about the country as a destination and confirms that he will continue to link Greek destinations with more than 90 airports internationally. He also stressed that he will receive 50 new aircraft in 2023 and is looking for promising markets to take advantage of them, with Greece acknowledging that this is one of them. “We can help extend the tourist season in Greece and we consider our offer a great opportunity” said K., but showing no willingness to change its approach to the lower fees it claims. And he even named his company as a potential strategic partner for the country in its efforts to expand tourism activities to more months and destinations. Responding to related question from “K” he also disproved the stereotype that travelers using his company’s services are, by definition, low value-added in terms of the money they leave behind in the country, contradicting, among other things, Malaga’s example. Malaga, as he characteristically noted, is turning into a destination for digital nomads, as well as companies who choose it as their headquarters because of its climate and air connectivity, which Ryanair has provided after an agreement with the airport. At the same time, he insisted that he did not consider competition in Greece to be the reason for the pressure exerted by him to reduce fees. He also noted that Ryanair is growing at a rate of 20% per year, has one of the largest fleets in the world, and this year not only restored 2019 passenger traffic, but also increased it by 15%.

His sources Ministry of Tourism who were asked about the Ryanair case, confirm to “K” that “he was presented with an incentive program provided through EOT’s winter joint promotional campaign”, but also “it was made clear to him that there is no possibility of what he is asking for will be accepted.”