Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has warned of an “extremely challenging” winter amid the surge in fuel costs as he said the airline will withdraw its planes from an airport in Brussels amid a row over rates and taxes.
The announcement was made at a press conference in Brussels yesterday and will result in a third of Ryanair’s flights leaving Brussels Zaventem, until at least next March.
Mr O’Leary said the move was due to the introduction of a flight tax and a planned rise in airport rates. He emphasised that airport charges are 300% to 400% higher at Zaventem than at Charleroi, which is the other major airport in Brussels.
He also said that Ryanair will not return to Zaventem until the airport reduces its rates and the flight tax is removed, reported Belgian newspaper De Staandard. He also said the 80 Ryanair staff based in Zaventem will be moved to Charleroi or other airports in neighbouring countries, “at less cost”, adding: “They can stay in warmer places than Brussels this winter.”
It comes after Ryanair confirmed last week that it would close its base at Athens International for the winter – from the end of this October to the end of next March – due to the airport operator’s “dysfunctional” charging scheme. This will see the airline remove two planes from the airport, reducing scheduled flights by about two-thirds.
