Ryanair, O’Leary: “Ready to invest 4 billion dollars in Italy”

“I explained to ministers Giorgetti and Garavaglia that we believe there are enormous opportunities for tourism in Italy in the next 4 years but we ask to cancel the cancellation of the municipal surcharge on boarding rights which weighs 6.5 euros per passenger, and penalizes your country in the choices of European tourists “. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary explains this to Adnkronos, saying he is convinced that eliminating this tax can “increase up to 50%” air traffic to Italy. “Before Covid – he recalls – Ryanair transported 40 million passengers in Italy, and we can grow to 60 million in the next 5 years. We have 80 operating aircraft in your airports and we continue to invest: we are committed to fielding 40 aircraft of the maxi order. that we negotiated with Boeing during Covid “. This, he notes, “is a $ 4 billion effort that can create 4 thousand seats in Italian airports, not only at Malpensa or Fiumicino but also in regional ones. But those taxes that are needed for pensions for Alitalia employees must be canceled. : it is not up to us to pay them “. ‘In the talks I had in Rome with the government, I was asked if we are ready to work with the new Alitalia” with a view to a’ feederage ‘agreement “and I replied’ sure ‘, however, we need more slots in Fiumicino to bring more people “to the Roman airport in order to power the long-haul flights managed by Ita, revealed O’Leary who confirms his optimism for the Italian market.” Like Ryanair in Italy in the ‘summer 2022 we will already be above pre-Covid levels thanks to the new planes: in July we are already at 70-75% and we plan to rise to 90% at Christmas to return to 100% already in January-February “.” Your country – is his invitation – he should work to collect the turi at this stage smo European, the Italian government has a unique opportunity to bring tourists back here, it won’t be back anytime soon. But it must be exploited, starting with the cancellation of the municipal surcharge on boarding rights. For a family of 4 it means 50 euros more for a holiday, there is a risk that these tourists end up in Spain or Greece. “” Yesterday I met the Minister of Economic Development Giorgetti and today that of Tourism Garavaglia. I illustrated to them our projects for the relaunch of Italian tourism and they showed interest. But I asked them, among other things, the elimination of the ‘artificial’ restrictions on movements in Ciampino, where, due to the regulations on noise pollution, only 100 landings and take-offs are possible in one day “, explained the CEO of Ryanair recalling how “in Fiumicino this summer we have already doubled our presence to 6 aircraft”. To grow also in the second Roman airport – and support the recovery of Italian tourism – “we asked to increase the number of daily flights to 200 , especially since the new aircraft are 40% quieter and consume much less fuel “.” I am reassured “by the fact that in Palazzo Chigi there is a person like Mario Draghi,” if I could I would vote for him because Italy needs a competent and technical government, even if on this I admit that Ireland is not in a better situation. The concern is as long as Draghi will remain “in government and” will be able to carry on the reform work “started.” Draghi – he adds – has done very well to restore the Ministry of Tourism, the fact that in recent years Italy has not had remains a mystery. For the future, however, enough with Alitalia’s ‘obsession’. It’s okay that they give aid to Ita but to make your tourism grow by 20-30%, the Italian government should work with Ryanair. “The manager recalls how” regional administrations are more stable interlocutors “compared to the continuous changes of executive, but in the end “it is the central government that addresses certain crucial issues”.