Ryanair to close Thessaloniki base for Winter 2026 amid Greek airport fee dispute

Ryanair has announced major cuts to its Greek winter operations for Winter 2026, including the closure of its three-aircraft base in Thessaloniki and reduced capacity at Athens International Airport. The airline says the decision will remove 700,000 seats and 12 routes, while suspending winter operations at Chania and Heraklion airports.

Ryanair blames the cuts on rising airport charges imposed by Fraport Greece and Athens Airport, arguing that they failed to pass on a 75% reduction in Greece’s Airport Development Fee introduced by the Greek government in late 2024. According to the airline, airport fees at Fraport-managed airports are now 66% higher than before the pandemic.

The cancelled routes include connections from Thessaloniki to cities such as Berlin, Frankfurt, Stockholm and Venice, as well as Athens–Milan and Chania–Paphos services. Ryanair says aircraft removed from Greece will instead be redeployed to more competitive markets, including Albania, regional Italy and Sweden.

The airline also claimed Greece risks losing future tourism growth and investment unless airport operators reduce costs. Ryanair said it had proposed a five-year expansion plan involving 10 additional aircraft, 50 new routes and growth to 12 million annual passengers, but warned this would only proceed if airport charges are frozen and the tax reduction is fully passed on to travellers.