“We had warned,” says the president of the Union of Airports

“South West”. Do you understand Ryanair’s decision to delete his services from Bergerac, Brive and Strasbourg?

Thomas June. Therefore, I deplore it. For example, I understand it a little but the union of French airports had warned the government of what is happening and which is linked to the 2025 finance law.

That’s to say ?

Tax increase on plane tickets [NDLR : taxe sur les billets d’avion – TSBA. In addition, mise en place en mars dernier] Decided in the last finance bill completely undermined the economic model of low-cost companies like Ryanair. In addition, You have to know. Consequently, and this is valid for all companies, by average a company gives a margin of 6 euros per ticket sold. Nevertheless, This tax represents around 7 euros per ticket sold … Consequently, their model, especially on lines which are little or not “we had warned,” says president profitable, no longer holds.

At the time, the government tempered the consequences of this tax. Similarly, Was he wrong?

Indeed, in Bercy or elsewhere, I was told “these are “we had warned,” says president 7 or 8 euros more, people will pay without problem”. This is to forget that in a competitive universe. companies do not or partially pass the taxes on the prices charged. They therefore now prefer to seek profitability elsewhere in Europe. These taxes are a rejecting for airlines. We will spend our time watching the planes over our airports pass.

“I have the weakness to think that as long as there is no social. economic breakage, nothing happens on the side of Bercy”

For Bergerac and Brive, we are talking about a disaster …

Of course, for these airports but also for the destination, tourism and also the Anglo-Saxons that live there year-round. It’s a disaster for Bergerac [NDLR : où Ryanair assure sept des douze destinations proposées]Brive. even Strasbourg, but it is a disturbing trend for all airports in the territories where the Ryanair companies, Easyjet represent most of the activity “we had warned,” says president of these services.

La Rochelle and its users are also penalized by Ryanair’s decision. We know that without this decision, we would have exceeded 300,000 passengers this year … The market is there, we were under discussion for new links … It will be complicated now.

Why is it complicated?

We lose a capital line in La Rochelle, the Porto destination which displayed a good filling rate. This is bad news. The other bad news is that for the moment we are talking about the destinations of the winter season. but nothing says that Ryanair, Easyjet will not also stop links at our airports for next spring. While the request is there.

Do you hope for a situation from the government?

The government’s routes are impenetrable … Even if we know that the ministers of tourism. transport and Matignon are for a return to the tax situation before the 2025 “we had warned,” says president finance law, we also know that Bercy does not want to let go of this tax. I have the weakness to think that as long as there is no social. economic breakage, nothing happens on the side of Bercy.