Ryanair criticizes the proposalANA Airports of Portugalthe Portuguese airport operator,increase prices in the country’s airports for 2024 and threatened to close the base Funchal to Madeira if costs do not fall, according to a press release published Wednesday September 27.
Ryanair Holdings says ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, operated since 2012 by the French company Vinci Airports, “attempts to increase tariffs excessively and unjustified throughout the country, including in Lisbon (+18%), Porto (+13%), Faro (+12%), Azores (+8%) and Madeira ( +9%)”, and warned that this would “a very negative impact on connectivity, tourism and employment in Portugal, particularly in island economies”.
Ryanair considers that “nothing justifies these excessive price increases on top of ANA’s already high airport charges,” emphasizing that the manager “has no competition in Portugal”.
For Ryanair, this increase “is exactly the opposite of what Portuguese airports need”notably “those in Madeira and the Azores, which rely on low airport taxes to boost” connectivity and tourism. “Surprisingly, instead of seeking to reduce the cost of access to the islands, ANA is trying to make access even more expensive,” underlines the press release. Rate increases in Madeira and the Azores, “are added to the excessive increases applied last year, irremediably harming the competitiveness of Madeira and the Azores”, underlines the holding company led by Michael O’Leary. Ryanair indicates that“it has already been forced to close its base in the Azores following previous increases in ANA fees”and call the dealer “to reduce airport fees in order to avoid the same fate for Madeira”.
