With a statement full of thorns against him Athens International Airport “El. Venizelos”her Fraport which operates 14 major regional airports as well as its Ministry of TourismIrish low cost airline Ryanair announced that it would close its base in Athens for the winter.

This is “a loss of an investment of 200 million euros at Athens Airport,” the company said in a statement.

As aviation market sources explain to MR, Ryanair’s decision to stop using AIA as a base means it won’t be using the airport as an overnight stay for two planes, and will also likely close the office it kept there.

On the contrary, according to the same sources, it will not stop routes from Athens Airport, which will connect to 10 destinations this winter (Vienna, Brussels, Budapest, Bologna, Milan, Rome, Malta, Katowice, Dublin and London).

It is worth noting that this is not the first time Ryanair has strongly protested airport charges, although in many cases its decisions are part of the overall context of its business strategy.

In addition, Ryanair’s aggressive policy on airport charges is well known throughout Europe. In 2018, a decision was made to stop routes from Athens to Chania and Rhodes, while expanding routes from international destinations to AIA, taking advantage of the benefits offered at the time by Athens Airport.

Market sources note that other airlines are moving in the opposite direction, boosting flight schedules to and from El. Venizelos.”

Typical examples, apart from the Greek Aegean and Sky Express, which are increasing their routes, are the British low-cost company Jet2, which will fly from Athens this year and winter, and Delta Airlines, which will connect with the US in general throughout the year.