In a statement Ryanair said that ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal, operated by French company Vinci, “is trying to increase rates in an excessive and unjustified manner throughout the country, including Lisbon (+18%), Porto (+13%) , Faro (+12%), Azores (+8%) and Madeira (+9%)”, warning that this will have “a very negative impact on connectivity, tourism and employment in Portugal, particularly on island economies”.

Ryanair considers that “there is no justification for these excessive price increases in addition to ANA’s already high airport fees”, noting that the company “has no competition in Portugal”.

For Ryanair, this increase “is exactly the opposite of what Portuguese airports need”, particularly “those in Madeira and the Azores, which depend on low airport taxes to boost” connectivity and tourism.

“Surprisingly, instead of seeking to reduce the costs of access to the islands, ANA is trying to make access even more expensive”, they highlighted, with increases in fees in Madeira and the Azores, “in addition to the excessive increases applied last year, irreparably damaging the competitiveness of Madeira and the Azores”.

In the same note, Ryanair said that “it has already been forced to close its base in the Azores following previous rate increases by ANA”, and called on the concessionaire “to reduce airport taxes in order to avoid the same fate for Madeira".