Ryanair has announced a significant reduction in its winter schedule, cutting 700,000 seats and 12 routes, putting holidays from the UK at risk. The airline will close its three-aircraft base in Thessaloniki and reduce capacity at Athens Airport for the upcoming winter season.
Impact on UK Travelers
The shake-up, which affects flights from Birmingham Airport (BHX), will result in the loss of 700,000 seats and 12 routes for the winter period. Ryanair has accused Greek airports of failing to pass on tax cuts to passengers, claiming that Fraport Greece has increased charges by 66% above pre-COVID levels.
Ryanair's Statement
Ryanair warned: "Consequently, Greek airports are no longer competitive in the off-peak shoulder and winter months, when the tourism industry's reliance on low-fare connectivity is most acute." The airline stated it had no choice but to reallocate capacity to more competitive countries like Albania, regional Italy, and Sweden, where airports have passed on savings from government tax reductions.
Ryanair Chief Commercial Officer, Jason McGuinness, said: "Ryanair regrets to announce the closure of our Thessaloniki base and reductions in Athens for Winter '26, resulting in the loss of 700,000 seats and 12 routes across Greece, as well as the suspension of operations at Chania and Heraklion during the off-peak months."
Devastating Impact on Thessaloniki
McGuinness added: "The removal of three based aircraft, 500,000 seats (-60% vs. Winter '25) and 10 routes from Thessaloniki for Winter '26 will be devastating for the city and region, as Ryanair provided 90% of international capacity to Thessaloniki last winter." He noted that there will be fewer low-cost fares for citizens and visitors, harming year-round tourism.
These aircraft will be reallocated to Albania, regional Italy, and Sweden, where airports have passed on government aviation tax savings, resulting in more connectivity, tourism, and jobs in those regions.
Opportunity for Greece
McGuinness concluded: "There is an opportunity for Greece to secure significant year-round traffic growth; however, this investment can only be realized once the German-run Fraport Greece monopoly fully passes through the Greek government's sensible tax cut from November '24 – allowing airlines such as Ryanair to deliver the connectivity required to reduce Greece's chronic seasonality."
