Fraport Greece says Ryanair’s decision to close its Thessaloniki base is unrelated to airport charges and reflects the airline’s commercial strategy. Photo source: Fraport Greece

Fraport Greece has rejected claims that airport charges were behind Ryanair’s decision to scale back part of its winter operations at Thessaloniki Airport.

In a statement issued following the airline’s announcements, the airport operator said any attempt to connect the move with airport charges or the Airport Development Fee (ADF) imposed by the Greek state is “entirely unfounded”.

According to Fraport Greece, the reduction in Ryanair’s winter schedule is solely related to the airline’s commercial strategy, business model and profitability considerations.

The company also noted that Ryanair’s announcements were made to the press in Athens, despite Thessaloniki being the airport most directly affected by the decision.

Fraport Greece said it respects Ryanair’s business decisions and described the low-cost carrier as an important partner among the more than 40 airlines currently operating at Thessaloniki Airport.

Thessaloniki strengthens role as Northern Greece hub

Thessaloniki Airport currently connects the city and the wider Macedonia region with more than 93 destinations across 33 countries, reinforcing its role as a key international gateway for Northern Greece.

Fraport Greece noted that it has invested more than 100 million euros in the expansion and modernization of the airport’s infrastructure and facilities since taking over its management.

According to the operator, these investments have supported strong passenger growth, with traffic increasing by 40 percent over the last nine years, reaching record levels.

“Fraport Greece remains fully committed to its strategic objective: ensuring that Thessaloniki Airport ‘Makedonia’ continues to offer modern infrastructure and high operational readiness, capable of effectively serving the growing passenger demand driven by the ongoing development of Thessaloniki and the wider region as an international destination,” the company said.

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