Ryanair has announced it will suspend operations at its Thessaloniki base during the 2026 winter season, pulling three aircraft from the northern Greek city. The low-cost carrier is also scaling back its presence at Athens International Airport, eliminating 12 routes and halting winter flights from Chania and Heraklion.
The airline attributes the cuts to what it calls "excessively uncompetitive charges" imposed by Fraport Greece, the German-managed operator of 14 regional airports, and Athens Airport. According to Ryanair, these fees have made Greek airports unviable during the low tourist season, leading to a reduction of 700,000 passenger seats — roughly 45% fewer than in winter 2025.
Fee Dispute and Lost Connectivity
Ryanair argues that although the Greek government reduced the Airport Development Fee (ADF) by 75% from November 2024 — from €12 to €3 per passenger — the savings were not passed on to travellers. Instead, airport operators absorbed the cut. The airline notes that Fraport Greece's charges have risen by more than 66% compared to pre-pandemic levels, while Athens Airport is planning further increases for the winter.
As a result, Ryanair is shifting capacity to what it considers more competitive markets: Albania, regional Italy, and Sweden. The airline's new winter schedule for 2026 includes the withdrawal of three aircraft from Thessaloniki, the elimination of routes such as Thessaloniki to Berlin, Frankfurt-Hahn, Gothenburg, Stockholm, Venice-Treviso, and Zagreb, as well as Athens to Milan-Bergamo and Chania to Paphos. Operations at Chania and Heraklion airports will be suspended entirely during the winter period.
Jason McGuinness, Ryanair's Chief Commercial Officer, said: "These avoidable reductions in air traffic are a direct result of the failure of airports to pass on the reduction in ADF, particularly in Thessaloniki where Fraport Greece's monopoly has increased charges by +66% since 2019." He added that the removal of three aircraft and 500,000 seats from Thessaloniki — a 60% drop compared to winter 2025 — "will be devastating for the city and the region, as Ryanair provided 90% of Thessaloniki's international low-cost capacity last winter."
McGuinness warned that "there will no longer be low fares for the citizens and visitors of Thessaloniki, and year-round tourism will be affected." The aircraft, he said, will be transferred to Albania, regional Italy, and Sweden, where airports have passed on government tax cuts, leading to "more connectivity, tourism and jobs in these regions during the winter."
The dispute echoes broader tensions in European aviation over airport charges and their impact on route networks. As EASA warns of safety risks from potential jet fuel shifts, airlines are increasingly scrutinising cost structures at European airports.
Investment Plan on Hold
Despite the cuts, Ryanair has presented the Greek government with a development plan aimed at boosting passenger traffic to 12 million per year over five years. The proposal includes adding 10 new aircraft, an investment of more than $1 billion, and creating 50 new routes. However, the airline makes clear that implementation depends on a freeze on airport charges and the full pass-through of the ADF reduction to passengers.
McGuinness stated: "There is an opportunity for Greece to secure significant growth in passenger traffic all year round. However, this investment can only be realised if the German-run Fraport Greece monopoly fully passes on the Greek government's tax cut from November 2024, allowing airlines such as Ryanair to offer the connectivity needed to reduce Greece's chronic seasonality."
The standoff highlights the delicate balance between airport operators and airlines in Europe's competitive aviation market. For travellers, the immediate consequence is fewer low-cost options to and from northern Greece this winter, as Ryanair redirects its fleet to more fee-friendly destinations. The situation also raises questions about the effectiveness of government tax cuts when intermediaries fail to pass them on — a challenge that resonates across the continent as airports and carriers jostle over costs.
