27 October 2008

Ryanair pulls out of Valencia

Routes to Valencia from two UK airports will be withdraw next month as Ryanair closes a base at the Spanish city.

Nine services will be cancelled from November 4, including flights from Edinburgh and East Midlands.

Ryanair said it would continue to operate a limited service to Valencia on a Stansted-based aircraft. 

ââ¬ÅâœPassengers due to travel on affected flights to or from Stansted may be able to transfer to one of our London-based services or can receive a full refund,ââ¬~ the airline said. 

Passengers due to travel on all other cancelled Valencia based services, will receive a full refund. 

The budget carrier is pulling out a little over a year since establishing a hub in Valencia and will move to a new base, details of which are to be announced next week.

The withdrawal comes as the result of a dispute with the local authorities over co-operative funding for the promotion of the airlineââ¬â¢s network from the Spanish city, according to the airline.

Ryanair deputy chief executive Michael Cawley said: ââ¬ÅâœThis is a very black day for the airport of Valencia and the city and region which it serves. 

ââ¬ÅâœRyanair had begun to transform this once overlooked region of Spanish tourism into a powerhouse of growth and development. 

ââ¬ÅâœWithout any assistance or cooperation from the local tourism board, Ryanair has already shown the possibilities which are uniquely available through its low fares.ââ¬~

The ââ¬Åâœnaked subsidisationââ¬~ of competitor airlines at the expense of Ryanair and the refusal to engage in any meaningful discussion ââ¬Åâœhave meant that continuation of our base at the airport is untenableââ¬~. 

ââ¬ÅâœWe have already received numerous enquiries right across Europe and we will be announcing a new base elsewhere next week with these two aircraft,ââ¬~ said Cawley.

by Phil Davies

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• Shome mishtake shurely?
  
  

  Ryanair doesn't DO subsidies. They hate them. Look at their vitriol for Alitalia et al. So this can't be about Valencia refusing to subsidize Ryanair can it?

  By W Shearer, Thursday, October 30, 2008
• Subsidies surely not !
  
  

  If I am reading this correctly the withdrawal has come because the Valencia region refused to give a subsidy to Ryanair, and presumably without a subsidy Ryanair cannot fly from there profitably. Ryanair has to have a suitable business model that allows them to make money without being subsidised, and if they have to pull out of areas because of a lack of subsidies, will they have to start down-sizing their overheads and capacity - and raising prices? Ryanair have been a success in the past, but their statements no longer seem to carry as much clout (or envy!) anymore.

  By Nick Cooper, Monday, October 27, 2008