The president of Ryanair, Michael O'Leary, said today that the fees charged to airlines by the Portuguese airports management company ANA are too high, particularly as they continued into the low season, preventing the extension of the tourist season in the Algarve.
O'Leary said that the airport fees charged during June, July and August were maintained throughout the off season months which does not make sense and served to shorten a potentially longer summer season.
O’Leary said that Ryanair often had discussed this subject with the Faro airport management, but the answer had always been that it was not possible to reduce fees in the off season months
O'Leary said Ryanair is interested in extending the summer season in Portugal by increasing the number of routes and passengers which also would bring a degree of employment stability for staff working on the routes to and from Faro.
If the summer season was lengthened, the president of Ryanair said that accommodation, restaurants and entertainment options also should be open for a longer period similar to competitive destinations such as Malaga.
The Algarve Tourist Board is keen to encourage off season tourism but now is powerless to influence the fees charged by ANA, the French operators of Faro airport, whose managers will have devised the income model that best suits the company’s needs to maximise profit.
