Ryanair has closed its three-aircraft base at Thessaloniki Airport for winter 2026, citing steep increases in airport charges by Fraport Greece. The decision eliminates 700,000 seats, a 45% reduction from the prior winter, and cancels 12 routes, including Thessaloniki to Berlin, Chania, Frankfurt-Hahn, Gothenburg, Heraklion, Niederrhein, Poznan, Stockholm, Venice-Treviso, and Zagreb, plus Athens to Milan Malpensa and Chania to Paphos. It also results in the closure of operations at Chania and Heraklion airports for the season.
The Irish low-cost carrier attributes the cuts to Fraport Greece, the operator of 14 Greek airports, which raised charges by 66% despite a 75% reduction in Greeces Airport Development Fee from €12 to €3 per passenger. Ryanair claims Fraport retained the savings rather than passing them to airlines and passengers, boosting its own profits amid uncompetitive costs.
In response, Ryanair called on the Greek government to dismantle the Fraport Greece monopoly to introduce competition in the aviation market. The base closure, representing a $300 million investment loss, ends operations at Thessaloniki by late October, affecting winter connectivity and local tourism.