Ryanair to close Bordeaux Airport base due to rising costs

Ryanair announced the closure of its base at Bordeaux-Mérignac airport in November, citing increasing costs as the primary reason. The decision comes after Bordeaux Airport declined to extend Ryanair’s low-cost base beyond November 2024.

According to Jason McGuinness, Ryanair’s commercial director, the closure results from the airport’s refusal to accommodate the airline’s financial requirements. Consequently, Ryanair will relocate its three planes and 90 employees to more cost-effective bases within its network.

In response, Bordeaux airport asserts that it has set financial limits for Ryanair and remains committed to diversifying its portfolio of airline partners. While expressing disappointment over Ryanair’s departure, the airport authorities have extended an invitation for the airline to resume operations in Bordeaux in the future.

Bordeaux-Mérignac airport, ranked 8th among French airports in 2023, faced challenges exacerbated by the discontinuation of certain domestic flights, including connections to Paris-Orly, as part of environmental initiatives. Despite these hurdles, the airport managed to recover 85.5% of its pre-pandemic passenger volume in 2023, slightly below the national average of 92.7%.