Ryanair will invest $200 million into its Portuguese regional operations, but Lisbon will not receive any additional funding, the airline confirmed.
The Irish carrier will place two 737 MAX 8200 across Madeira and Faro, bring the airline’s total fleet based in the country to 29 aircraft. In addition to new aircraft, Ryanair will also launch four new routes from Portuguese airports including a new service between Porto and Rome.
Despite this growth, Ryanair has no plans to expand in Lisbon, with the airline citing “excessive fees” and a failure from Portuguese airport authority, Aeroportos de Portugal (ANA), to increase capacity at the city's Portela Airport.
“These issues are hampering Ryanair's ability to grow in Lisbon, negatively affecting traffic, tourism, employment and the city's economy,” read a statement from the airline.
Ryanair said it welcomed the Portuguese Government's decision to reject ANA's proposal to make Portela Airport users pay for the construction of the new Alcochete Airport, with the opening of this new airport being postponed to 2040.
The airline also stated that it has future plans to base 16 new 737 MAX-10 aircraft, valued at $1.6bn, at Ryanair's six airports in Portugal.
Tags:
Ryanair