S&D MEP Sakis Arnaoutoglou has asked the European Commission to intervene over Ryanair's reported plan to close its base at Thessaloniki's Makedonia Airport, warning that the move would severely hit connectivity, tourism, and regional cohesion in Northern Greece. The question, submitted on 7 May 2026, targets rising airport fees as a deterrent for low-cost carriers and calls for a European framework to protect strategic air links in peripheral regions.
The parliamentary question follows media reports that Ryanair informed employees of its intention to shut the Thessaloniki base, citing a significant increase in airport charges. Arnaoutoglou argues that such a development would isolate Northern Greece, creating 'white zones' in air connectivity and undermining EU goals of cohesion and equal access. The MEP presses the Commission on three points: whether it is monitoring the situation, whether rising fees risk harming regional economies, and whether it will consider a support framework for maintaining essential air routes in less accessible areas.
Policy direction and expected follow-up Arnaoutoglou's question signals a push for EU-level action to counterbalance market-driven decisions by low-cost airlines that could leave regions without affordable connections. The MEP frames the issue as a test of EU regional policy, linking it to broader concerns about tourism-dependent economies and workers' livelihoods. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its answer will indicate whether it sees a role for itself in regulating airport charges or subsidising regional routes, or whether it considers this a matter for national or local authorities.
Stakeholder impacts If Ryanair exits, Northern Greece's tourism sector and local businesses would lose a key low-cost link to European markets, while hundreds of airport-related jobs would be at risk. Conversely, maintaining or lowering airport fees could strain airport operators' revenues. The Commission faces a trade-off between protecting regional connectivity and respecting market dynamics and the autonomy of airport operators to set charges.
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