“This decision results from the failure of over a year of negotiations with the airport management regarding obtaining a competitive cost base, which would enable Ryanair to further develop very low-cost flights to Modlin in the 2024 winter season. Ryanair will continue to operate 22 routes from/to Modlin. At the same time, Ryanair will continue to offer 6 low-cost connections from/to Warsaw Chopin for the 2024/25 winter season,” it said. information Ryanair on Thursday August 15th. Airlines announced they will reduce traffic at Warsaw airport by 50 percent from November 2024.
The number of Ryanair aircraft based in Modlin will decrease. Many jobs will disappear
The airlines announced that some of the current passenger traffic will be transferred to “new routes and new capacity at Chopin Airport”. Interestingly, Ryanair is also set to continue negotiations with a new management team at Modlin, which will be appointed in mid-September. “However, if an agreement is not reached on a competitive cost base similar to those offered at other airports in Poland, Ryanair will not be able to build growth in the number of low-cost connections at the airport Warsaw Modlin” – added the press release.
The announced restrictions will reduce the number of Ryanair aircraft based at the airport from five to four and eliminate 50 jobs. “The airport management is currently in transition and there is no one willing to make decisions regarding the development until a new management team is in place,” Ryanair Chief Commercial Officer Jason McGuinness said in a statement.
Ryanair representative explains the airline's decision
“We cannot accept these long delays or incur losses in Modlin in the 2024 winter season (…) while the management tries to impose fees typical of major airports. We regret these cuts, but they will create more opportunities for development in other Polish airports, including Warsaw Chopin Airport, where we welcome the government's recent decision to increase capacity to 30 million passengers per year,” McGuinness commented.
Ryanair’s Chief Commercial Officer added that the company is looking forward to establishing a new team in Modlin and hopes to reach an agreement quickly. The airline aims to reverse the restrictions in the future and return to traffic and employment growth in the summer season of 2025.