North Macedonia’s government said on Wednesday it had rejected an offer from low-cost carrier Ryanair to enter the market, describing the airline’s conditions as “impossible” and financially unsustainable.
Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski said the government held several rounds of talks with Ryanair, but the negotiations collapsed over demands that he said would give the Irish airline preferential treatment and strain public finances.
“They want Skopje and Ohrid practically to become Ryanair airports, which would require the state to spend huge sums just for them,” Nikoloski told reporters. “They also demanded a maximum turnaround time of 35 minutes, which would mean hiring hundreds of additional staff to meet that condition.”
Higher subsidies demanded
North Macedonia currently offers subsidies of 9 euros per passenger for flights from Skopje and 12 euros from Ohrid. According to Nikoloski, Ryanair requested nearly double that – 20 euros per passenger in Skopje and 25 euros in Ohrid.
“With such conditions cooperation is not possible,” he said. “If we grant them privileges that others don’t have, the market will be distorted. If we extend those terms to all airlines, the country would go bankrupt.”
Wizz Air dominance
Ryanair has considered launching flights to North Macedonia for more than a decade. In 2015 it announced plans to serve Skopje, but pulled out after rival Wizz Air quickly expanded its operations.
The Irish airline again weighed entry in 2018 but never launched any routes.
Hungarian budget carrier Wizz Air now dominates the Macedonian market, holding more than half of passenger traffic. Last month it said it would base a sixth aircraft in Skopje and open seven new routes.
Nikoloski said the government remained open to working with all carriers but only under conditions already in place. “The doors are open, but the rules must be the same for everyone,” he said.