Ryanair announces closure of Marseille base

Ryanair has announced that it will close its only French base at Marseille Airport from Tuesday 11th January 2011.

The four Marseille based aircraft (and 200 Ryanair jobs) will now be moved in January to competitor airports in Spain, Italy and Lithuania, with the result that 13 Marseille routes will be closed from 11th January.  Ryanair will continue to operate 10 routes to/from Marseille Airport, on aircraft and crews that are based elsewhere.

The closure comes as a result of legal action initiated by French authorities, who are claiming that Ryanair’s mobile workers should pay income tax and social insurance in France, rather than in Ireland.

Ryanair has taken a case in the European Courts against the French decree.

Speaking today in Marseille, Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:

“We are very disappointed at this decision by the French authorities to initiate proceedings against Ryanair’s base in Marseille, which complies fully with EU regulations for mobile transport workers.  These are not French jobs, but rather Irish jobs on Irish aircraft, which are defined by EU regulations as Irish territory.  All of these people pay their tax and social insurance, in accordance with EU regulations, in Ireland and they remain fully tax compliant.

“Sadly the loss of these 4 aircraft, 200 jobs and 13 routes at Marseille is the high price necessary to demonstrate that these are mobile Irish workers, which is why they are covered by the EU regulations for mobile transport workers; and not by a local French decree, which Ryanair is currently appealing to the European Courts.  This ill-judged legal action has therefore cost Marseille and France jobs, foreign investment and lost visitors in circumstances where our Marseille base fully complies with EU regulations for transport workers.

“Ryanair remains committed to Marseille Airport and in particular to its low cost MP2 Terminal.  Ryanair will now be working with the management of Marseille Airport to try to grow other routes and traffic, on aircraft which are based overseas, particularly as Ryanair opens up bases elsewhere in Europe.  Sadly the loser in all of this will be Marseille Airport, tourism and jobs in the Provence region."