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.
“Passengers 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,†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 airline’s network from the Spanish city, according to the airline.
Ryanair deputy chief executive Michael Cawley said: “This is a very black day for the airport of Valencia and the city and region which it serves.
“Ryanair had begun to transform this once overlooked region of Spanish tourism into a powerhouse of growth and development.
“Without any assistance or cooperation from the local tourism board, Ryanair has already shown the possibilities which are uniquely available through its low fares.â€
The “naked subsidisation†of competitor airlines at the expense of Ryanair and the refusal to engage in any meaningful discussion “have meant that continuation of our base at the airport is untenableâ€.
“We have already received numerous enquiries right across Europe and we will be announcing a new base elsewhere next week with these two aircraft,†said Cawley.
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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