Ryanair cuts Greece winter capacity as airport fee dispute raises regional connectivity concerns

Ryanair has announced significant cuts to its Greece winter 2026 schedule, including the closure of its three-aircraft base in Thessaloniki, amid an escalating dispute over airport charges.

The carrier said the move would result in the loss of 700,000 seats and 12 routes across Greece during the winter season, alongside the suspension of operations at Chania and Heraklion.

According to the airline, the reductions follow what it described as “uncompetitive” airport costs imposed by German-operated Fraport Greece and Athens Airport, despite a Greek government decision in late 2024 to reduce the country’s Airport Development Fee (ADF) by 75%.

Ryanair said the closure of the Thessaloniki base would see three aircraft removed from the market and capacity reduced by 45% compared with winter 2025 levels. Routes affected include services from Thessaloniki to Berlin, Frankfurt-Hahn, Stockholm, Venice, Treviso, and Zagreb, among others.

In a statement, Ryanair Chief Commercial Officer Jason McGuinness said: “These preventable traffic reductions are a direct result of the airports’ failure to pass through the ADF reduction.”

The airline added that aircraft previously allocated to Greece would instead be redeployed to what it described as more competitive markets, including Albania, regional Italy, and Sweden.

For the travel insurance sector, the cuts underline how airline network changes and cost pressures can create wider operational implications beyond aviation alone, particularly during off-peak travel periods where alternative routing options may already be limited.

Reduced winter connectivity can increase disruption exposure for travellers through fewer rebooking alternatives, longer delays, and greater reliance on connecting flights if services are cancelled or consolidated.

The announcement also reflects broader pressures facing European aviation as airlines, airports, and governments continue to debate how infrastructure costs, tourism demand, and regional connectivity should be balanced in a high-cost operating environment.

Fuel pressures are also creating wider ripple effects across aviation and insurer exposure to travel disruption claims. Read more here.