Ryanair to close Fuerteventura routes from January

Ryanair has confirmed that it will close all of its routes to/from Fuerteventura from 31 January unless local tourism group AIE honours the commercial agreement it entered into with Ryanair to promote Fuerteventura as a tourist destination.

Since Ryanair began flying to Fuerteventura in 2006, annual passenger numbers have increased over one hundred fold from just 2,000 to over 250,000. However, because of the AIE’s breach of its agreement with Ryanair, one of its Dublin flights to Fuerteventura was cancelled from 6 November. Ryanair has now confirmed that it will close its nine international routes to/from Fuerteventura from 31 January unless the AIE honours its contractual commitments with Ryanair.

Ryanair will close all services to/from Fuerteventura including Birmingham, Bremen, Dublin, Dusseldorf (Weeze), East Midlands, Frankfurt, Liverpool, London and Shannon from 31 January if agreement is not reached on these contract breaches before 6 December.

Ryanair confirmed legal action against AIE and its individual members will continue for breach of agreement.

Speaking today, Ryanair’s Michael Cawley said: “Ryanair again calls on the AIE to honour its contractual agreement or lose Ryanair’s flights and traffic to/from Fuerteventura from 31st January 2009.

“Ryanair’s lowest fares and no fuel surcharge have delivered huge tourism revenues and over 250,000 annual passengers may now be lost to/from Fuerteventura. At a time when Spanish tourism numbers are falling, Ryanair’s numbers continue to grow. However, the AIE continues to threaten the livelihoods of the local tourism industry by blatantly reneging on its contractual commitments.

“Ryanair has served thirty days’ notice to the AIE to comply with its contractual agreements. If it refuses to do so then we will have no choice sadly but to end all Ryanair flights to Fuerteventura from 31 January”.