Ryanair is further expanding its offering in Austria and is adding additional routes from Salzburg Airport.
At the press breakfast on December 10, 2024, Andreas Gruber, Managing Director of Laudamotion, and Marcel Pouchain Meyer, Country Manager of the DACH region, emphasized the close partnership with Salzburg Airport and the challenges posed by regulatory and tax requirements in Austria. The new developments promise not only a tourist but also an economic upturn for the region.
New summer route: Salzburg-Alicante
From summer 2025, Ryanair will offer a new direct connection from Salzburg to Alicante. This route will be operated twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays, and will complement the existing offering to London Stansted, Dublin and Manchester. The connection to the Mediterranean coast expands the airline's portfolio to include another sunny destination, which should be particularly interesting for holidaymakers from the region.
Bettina Ganghofer, Managing Director of Salzburg Airport, praised the importance of the new connection: "Alicante is a wonderful addition to our offering. Every new route strengthens Salzburg as a tourist and business location." The relevance of the flight route for guests from Bavaria, who could use Salzburg Airport as a starting point, was particularly highlighted.
Growth and challenges
Since the partnership between Ryanair and Salzburg Airport began in 2001, 3,5 million passengers have been handled. Further growth is expected for 2025, also thanks to the new summer flight schedule. Ryanair has recovered strongly after the pandemic, with traffic increasing by 160% since 2019. The airline plans to further expand its network: 90 new routes are to be opened in 2025.
Despite this success, Ryanair is facing challenges in Austria. The airline sees the air traffic tax of 12 euros per passenger, one of the highest in Europe, as an obstacle to further growth. Andreas Gruber called on the Austrian government to abolish this tax, similar to what Italy and Sweden have done. "Without flights there is no prosperity, without aviation there is no economy and no new locations," he stressed. The strategic importance of Salzburg for Ryanair is underscored by the continuous expansion of the flight offering. In addition to the connections to Alicante and London Stansted, the winter flight schedule will be supplemented by destinations such as Dublin and Manchester. Through the cooperation with Ryanair and the optimized route plans, Salzburg will be further positioned as an attractive travel destination for international guests, say those responsible.