In a statement, the Irish airline condemned “ANA’s proposal to increase airport charges by up to 15%, from 2023”, saying that “the increase in charges will harm the recovery of tourism in Portugal “.

Ryanair understands that “there is no justification for a 15% increase in ANA’s already high airport charges, especially when Portuguese air and tourist traffic is still recovering from the pandemic and should be supported by airport charges. weaker”.

On Tuesday, ANA, which belongs to the French company Vinci, confirmed that it had “presented a proposal to update regulated airport charges with an entry into force date of February 1, 2023, following the new model provided for in the concession contract for the period 2023 until the end of the concession”, after TAP criticized the decision, in a press release.

Ryanair’s director for Portugal, Elena Cabrera, said in a statement that “there is no justification for the excessive increase in airport charges by ANA, especially while Portugal is still recovering from the pandemic. “.

“ANA should follow its European counterparts and lower fares to help boost the recovery of traffic and tourism, such as Aena in Spain, which is now extending its traffic recovery program from summer to winter, strengthening the recovery of the Spanish tourism”, underlined the person in charge.

On Tuesday, ANA said it had made “substantial reductions” in airport charges during the pandemic, after returning 13 million euros to airlines this year.

In the same note, the airport manager specifies that “the values ​​proposed for 2023 show increases per passenger of 0.35 euros in the Azores, 0.79 euros in Madeira, 0.81 euros in Porto, 0.80 euros in Faro and 1.53 euros in Lisbon”. adding that “the proposal represents an average increase of 10.81%, which generally follows the increase in the rate of inflation and the rules established by the concession contract with the Portuguese State”.

The proposal will now be subject to consultation and must be approved by the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC).