Ryanair has called on the Greek government to dismantle the Fraport Greece monopoly after the carrier decided to close its three-aircraft base in Thessaloniki for the winter 2026 season. It blames the move on a 66% rise in airport charges and the government’s failure to ensure tax reductions reached carriers and their customers. Ryanair says the state must intervene to restructure the current airport operating model to restore competition to the Greek aviation market.
In November 2024, the Greek authorities reduced the Airport Development Fee charged to the airport operator from €12 to €3 per passenger and Ryanair claims Fraport Greece pocketed these funds rather than lowering costs for passengers and airlines. It adds that this lack of regulatory oversight allowed the operator to prioritise shareholder returns over national tourism growth and connectivity.
“The statement issued by the Fraport Greece Monopoly on 8 May highlights just how off the mark the German owned monopoly airport operator is,” Ryanair said in a statement issued on May 13. “Ryanair’s decision to close its three aircraft Thessaloniki base for Winter ’26 is entirely due to Fraport’s decision to hike its airport charges by an excessive +66% following the pandemic.”
The airline linked the base closure to the government’s inability to enforce fiscal policy benefits. Nations such as Albania, Slovakia, Sweden, and regional Italy are lowering taxes and fees to support the low-cost sector.
“More recently, instead of passing on the Greek Govt’s sensible decision to reduce the Airport Development Fee by -75% to all airlines and passengers to stimulate year-round connectivity and tourism across Greece – the Fraport monopoly pocketed this tax reduction to further line the pockets of its German shareholder,” the statement continued.
Fraport Greece has not responded to the low-cost carrier’s latest comments but previously released a statement saying it “respects Ryanair’s business decisions”.
“Ryanair remains an important partner, alongside more than 40 other airlines currently operating at Thessaloniki Airport, which connects the city and the wider region of Macedonia with over 33 countries and 93 destinations,” said the statement. “Since assuming management of the airport, Fraport Greece has invested more than €100 million in the expansion and upgrade of Thessaloniki Airport’s infrastructure and facilities. These investments have supported strong growth, with passenger traffic increasing by 40% over the past nine years and reaching record levels.”