Kos Residents Launch Petition as Ryanair Halts Flights to Kos & Rhodes

Posted by keeptalkinggreece

Low-cost carrier Ryanair has scheduled to cancel to Kos and to Rhodes due to a dispute with the local authorities apparently over a promotion agreement. Ryanair’s flight cancellation is due before the end of the tourism season which ends in November for these two islands of the Dodecanese. Ryanair decided to halt 82 flights per week to the two Dodecanese islands, claiming local authorities did not commit to a promotion agreement.

“A total of 82 flights a week will be cancelled a month before the end of the season. Flights to Kos will stop on 2 October on 11 routes to Kos and 13 to Rhodes.
The move comes after the low-cost carrier argued that the islands were “reneging” on a promotion agreement.

Greek media quoted the country’s tourism minister as saying: “The government has not signed any contract with any low-budget airline.”
The airline currently operates flights to Kos from Stansted, Leeds Bradford and Liverpool. Its flights to Rhodes operate from Stansted, East Midlands, Liverpool and Bournemouth.
Prior to the dispute, the flight schedule to the two Greek islands was expected to end in November.
Ryanair blamed the Dodecanese development association Detap and the mayor of Kos, saying they “failed to honour an agreed joint marketing campaign with Ryanair to promote Ryanair’s Rhodes and Kos routes this summer”
Ryanair estimates that the change in schedule will have a significant impact on the already ailing Greek economy. It forecasts a £14.5 million dent in the islands’ tourism revenue as a result of the cancellations.
“Ryanair intended to operate the routes to the end of the summer. However, Detap and the mayor of Kos reneged on an agreement to jointly promote our flights,” a Ryanair spokesperson said.
“Detap and the mayor should now explain to Rhodes and Kos residents why they have refused to partner with the only airline interested in bringing new passengers to the region.” (cheapflights.com May 18,2012)

 

As the time for the flights halt nears, the dispute was not solved and Ryanair sticks to its decision, residents of Kos decided to launch an online petition in order to pressure their mayor into making a decision about Ryanair flights to the island.

“According to Petition Action for Kos, the mayor has been stalling for several months on paying the agreed amount to the company, which has resulted in Kos losing its Ryan Air winter flights.

 

The island’s residents fear that if action isn’t taken immediately they might also lose their summer flights, which would be detrimental for the island’s tourism. “The cancellation of Ryanair flights would mean the end of any hope we have of working through the current difficulties”, the petition reads.” (Athens News)

 

PS To tell you the truth I had no idea, that local authorities may promote some airlines and not some others. Or do I miss something here?