Azores holiday-rental association calls for talks on Ryanair return
Azores GuideRyanair's chief executive says the Azores broke a contract. Visit Azores denies it, and local accommodation owners want the government to negotiate.
ALA, the association of local accommodation owners in the Azores, has called on the Regional Government to act at once and negotiate a possible return of Ryanair to the islands.
Ryanair flew to the Azores from 2015 and left at the end of March. At the time it cited airport charges and European environmental taxation.
On Tuesday, Ryanair chief executive Eddie Wilson said the problem in the Azores was that a contract had been broken, and that the airline does not do business with people who break contracts. Asked about a return, he said he would be happy to talk to trustworthy people in the Azores who do not break contracts.
In a statement, ALA said the public response to his remarks was insufficient. It wants the Regional Government, the regional departments responsible and Visit Azores to turn the airline's offer to talk into serious negotiations. The association said better air links should also involve other airlines.
The board of Visit Azores, the association that promotes tourism in the islands, said it is not true that it broke any contract with Ryanair. It said Ryanair itself had justified leaving with higher airport charges from ANA/VINCI, higher air navigation charges and the cost of European environmental rules.
Last month this site reported that Azores business groups seek support for new low-cost air routes.
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Azores Guide
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