Ryanair cease flying from Blackpool

Tuesday 25th November 2008

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Ryanair are discontinuing services from Blackpool after the airport announced that they would be introducing an Airport Development Fee from January 5th.

If the airport goes ahead with the development fee then Ryanair will call a halt to flights to and from Dublin and its three weekly services to Girona from January 4th.

"This fee will be levied on all passengers without exception after that date and will substantially increase the cost of travel through this small regional airport which is totally dependent on low fares for its passenger traffic," Ryanair said in a statement.

"Ryanair had engaged in discussions with the management of the airport in attempts to underline the negative effect this fee would have and urge them not to introduce the fee.

"However, now that the airport has decided to go ahead with the introduction of the fee, Ryanair will withdraw all its services from the airport."

Deputy chief executive of Ryanair, Michael Cawley, added: “This is a black day for Blackpool International Airport. The management’s decision, against Ryanair’s advice, to introduce an Airport Development Fee is an extremely regressive step which inevitably involves a massive increase in the cost of travel for passengers through the airport.