Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) has confirmed that it will close its Frankfurt International base on March 31, 2022, and has reallocated its five aircraft stationed there to airports that levy lower airport charges. Airport operator Fraport AG recently increased its charges to airlines by 4.3%.

"In a post-COVID recovery phase, airports must incentivise traffic recovery; unfortunately Frankfurt, instead of providing traffic recovery incentives, has chosen to increase prices even further, making it uncompetitive with European airports," the airline said in a statement on January 7. Ryanair said there were "a multitude of airports throughout Europe" seeking to attract its business, which will include the deployment of sixty-five new B737-8-200s across Europe in summer 2022.

In response to a query from ch-aviation, a Fraport AG spokesman said: "We offer a high-quality product in the best location in Europe. The associated infrastructure costs are covered by a very fair fee regulation. In 2022, fees rose slightly for the first time since 2017. The 4% fee increase is merely an inflation adjustment. Other European air traffic hubs are increasing their fees much higher, well in the double-digit percentage range. Many airlines want to grow their business here in 2022 because of the fair solution offered in Frankfurt."

Fraport AG also told the Frankfurt Allgemeine that Ryanair's decision was regrettable, but the company believed the new fee schedule was "extremely moderate" in comparison to other airports of similar size, pointing in particular to the 50% fee hike at London Heathrow. He also pointed out that the increase at Frankfurt had been approved by the Hessian Ministry of Economics and Transport.

The airline said that all Ryanair Frankfurt am Main-based pilots and cabin crew have received notification of the base closure at the end of March 2022 but would be able to relocate to alternative positions within the Ryanair network.

Ryanair passengers impacted by flight cancellations from Frankfurt would be notified and refunded.

The Irish budget carrier reiterated its well-publicised criticism of government protection of flag carriers. "The German government continues to protect legacy carriers, such as Lufthansa (LH, Frankfurt International) who have soaked up EUR9 billion euros (USD10.1 billion) in state aid rather than introduce non-discriminatory traffic recovery schemes open to all airlines," it charged.

"We are disappointed to announce the closure of our Frankfurt am Main base at the end of March 2022, but we have no alternative in response to a decision from the airport to increase its airport fees, despite the collapse in traffic caused by the COVID-19 pandemic," commented Ryanair Director (Commercial) Jason McGuinness. "While Ryanair continues to invest in German airports which understand the requirement to lower airport charges to recover traffic, competition in the German market has been massively distorted by the EUR9 billion of state aid that was pumped into Lufthansa, which continues to cut its fleet, connections, and jobs," he added.