Michael O'Leary, CEO of the Ryanair Group, said at a press conference in Lisbon: “Costs in Ponta Delgada grew by 9%, why would I have to reopen the base if I have other airports in Europe with lower costs?”

Michael O'Leary also revealed that, during the four years that Ryanair operated in Ponta Delgada, the airline lost money, since, during the winter, demand for the airline's flights dropped drastically.

“I lose money in Ponta Delgada if I open a base for just seven months a year. I've already lost a lot of money, why would I want to reopen the base? It seems like Ponta Delgada airport is full, but it's not, it's empty”, he added, considering that it is not viable to keep the base open only in the summer, as Ryanair would have to hire staff for the summer and lay off staff in the winter.

Criticism

The CEO of the Ryanair Group also took the opportunity to deepen his criticism of ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal, reaffirming that the company that manages national airports only increases fees because it has no competition, since, throughout Europe, there are several airports that rates have been falling due to inflation, but in Portugal the opposite is happening.

“This is the type of damage that ANA causes, the French airport monopoly is doing the opposite of what others did, which was, in times of inflation, to lower rates, but ANA increases it because it can, there is no competition”, he stated, arguing that the company managing national airports “killed Ryanair’s base” in Ponta Delgada.

Michel O'Leary explained that the airline has not yet made a decision regarding the base in Funchal, which in winter only had one plane based there, despite admitting that, as in Ponta Delgada, in Madeira Ryanair may no longer operate.

“In Funchal, we maintain a plane, but it can also go to zero at the end of the summer. We are still not sure. This is the type of damage that ANA causes”, since, at the Madeiran airport, fees rose by 6% this year.