In a statement, the Irish airline condemned “ANA’s proposal
to increase airport fees by up to 15%, starting in 2023”, considering that “the
increase in fees will harm the recovery of tourism in Portugal”.
Ryanair understands that “there is no justification for a
15% increase in ANA’s already high airport fees, especially when Portuguese air
and tourist traffic is still recovering after the pandemic and should be
supported with lower airport fees”.
On Tuesday, ANA, which belongs to the French company Vinci,
confirmed that it “presented a proposal to update the regulated airport fees
with a date of entry into force on February 1, 2023, following the new model
provided for in the concession contract for the period 2023 until the end of
the concession”, after TAP criticized the decision, in a statement.
Ryanair director for Portugal, Elena Cabrera, considered, in
a statement, that “there is no justification for the excessive increase in airport
fees by ANA, especially when Portugal is still recovering from the pandemic”.
“ANA should follow its European counterparts and lower rates
to help stimulate traffic and tourism recovery, such as Aena in Spain, which is
now extending its traffic recovery scheme from summer to winter, reinforcing
the recovery of Spanish tourism”, pointed out the official.
On Tuesday, ANA said it had made “substantial reductions” in
airport fees during the pandemic, having returned €13 million to airlines this
year.
In the same note, the airport manager said that “the values
proposed for 2023 show increases per passenger of 0.35 euros in the Azores,
0.79 euros in Madeira, 0.81 euros in Porto, 0.80 euros in Faro and 1 .53 euros
in Lisbon”, adding that “the proposal represents an average increase of 10.81%,
which generally follows the increase in the inflation rate and the rules
established by the Concession Contract with the Portuguese State”.
The proposal will now be subject to consultation and will
have to be approved by the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC).
Anything else damaging tourisum!!!!!!!
By J from Lisbon on 10 Oct 2022, 08:25
It is irresponsible for a senior executive of Ryanair to make unfounded comments in relation to the increase of airport rates harming tourism! It is baseless and only anecdotal; it is an empty sound byte for attention! Ryanair is in the business of increasing share holder value and does not care about sustainability of the places they service. Portugal has been taken advantage of by low-cost airlines, with cheap tourism that adds zero value to the true economy of Portugal or its population. Everyone is flocking to Portugal because it is considered a “CHEAP” destination for tourists. The workers of these hotels, restaurants etc. are all paid minimum wage which is in the top 13 lowest of the EU nations!!! How do the Portuguese get ahead with low wages, rental prices out of control, cost of living increase etc. etc. I can give a tutorial on why low-cost tourism destroys a country and its infrastructure, just have to look at what happened to Spain and why the Spanish are pushing back! Read about Ryanair and the demands that they continuously put on governments and organizations to get what is good only for them, always a one-way street! Ryanair had Q1 profit 170 million euros (end of quarter June 2022) and like ever other business they will make an excuse about previous losses for Covid but never mention the bail outs from the government or that all other businesses and employees had losses, and many had loss of jobs through company closures! It is time that Portugal but quality tourism before quantity, if prices are increased people will continue to pay as the as they always do, the tourists that you want, that add value, nothing changes, corporations use scare tactics on politicians to make them yield to their wishes.
By Derk from Other on 10 Oct 2022, 15:55
I doesn't matter. People are still going to find money to travel.
By Terret Gonzalez from Lisbon on 10 Oct 2022, 16:11