Ryanair, the number 1 airline in Europe and Italy, has announced a record operating schedule for Calabria for summer ’24 which includes the launch of a new base (over $100 million investment) in Reggio Calabria and 10 new routes in all 3 Calabrian airports (Lamezia, Crotone and Reggio) for summer ’24. This major expansion into Calabria marks the start of a long-term growth strategy agreed with President Occhiuto to position Calabria as a leading destination in Europe, increasing inbound tourism and connectivity across the Region.
The launch of a new base in Reggio Calabria (19th base and 31st airport in Italy) will strengthen Ryanair’s presence in Calabria and create up to 200 new jobs (including well-paid positions for pilots, flight attendants and engineers) together with a substantial investment of 100 million dollars in new aircraft. Furthermore, Ryanair continues to develop connectivity at its Lamezia base with a new route to Valencia (18 in total) and over 180 weekly flights. In Crotone, Ryanair will add a new connection to Turin (4 total) and over 30 weekly flights, with a growth in connectivity of 13% and 33% in Lamezia and Crotone respectively.
Ryanair’s Calabria route for summer 2024 will offer:
2 aircraft based ($200 million) – 1 new in Reggio Calabria and 1 in Lamezia
10 new routes – 8 from Reggio to Barcelona, Berlin, Bologna, Manchester, Marseille, Tirana, Turin, Venice / 1 from Lamezia to Valencia / 1 from Crotone to Turin
30 total routes (8 in Reggio / 18 in Lamezia / 4 in Crotone)
In Calabria traffic grows by over 20% up to 1.3 million passengers for the S24
Over 1,200 jobs in the Region
Record capacity, connectivity and low tariffs for the Calabria Region
In Reggio Calabria, Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson said: “As the number 1 airline in Europe and Italy, Ryanair is pleased to announce this major investment in Calabria with the opening of a new base (investment of 100 million dollars) in Reggio Calabria and 10 new routes to l summer ’24. Overall, Ryanair will record a capacity growth of more than 20% spread across all 3 Calabrian airports (Lamezia, Crotone and Reggio). This major expansion marks the start of a long-term strategy with the President Occhiuto and the Region to position Calabria as a leading destination in Europe and grow inbound tourism, connectivity and employment, while offering low rates to citizens/visitors.
Calabria is a destination waiting to be discovered both in Italy and in Europe, and deserves more connectivity, more tourism all year round and more jobs that only Ryanair can offer. Calabria will now enjoy a boom in inbound tourism thanks to the spectacular growth provided by Ryanair, (already pioneered by other Italian regions such as Puglia and Sardinia), with competitive fares and greater connectivity for those wanting to visit friends and relatives abroad. abroad or have to travel for work or health reasons.
While forward-thinking Italian regions and airports like Calabria continue to take laudable measures to grow tourism and connectivity, the Italian government must support all Italian regions and airports to grow tourism and connectivity by lowering access costs and canceling the regressive municipal surcharge/tourism tax to stimulate further capacity growth and reduce passenger fares. If the Italian government were to abolish the municipal surcharge, Ryanair will respond with a $4 billion investment in Italy, adding 40 new aircraft, an additional 20 million passengers per year and over 250 new routes.
Ryanair Calabrian citizens/visitors can now book their low fare S24 flights on 30 routes from just €24.99 on ryanair.com today. We look forward to welcoming millions more Italian and foreign citizens/visitors on board Ryanair flights to/from Calabria next summer.”
The president of the Calabria Region, Roberto Occhiuto, declared: “It’s a really important day for Calabria. Having such a strong interest from Ryanair, Europe’s leading airline, is a source of great pride for us, but it also represents an exciting new challenge. I thank both the Group CEO and CEO Eddie Wilson, here in Reggio Calabria today, and the entire Ryanair team for the bet they decided to make. My government is telling its national and international partners about the extraordinary opportunities our Region has. As governor I feel like a manager of Calabria, who must present his ‘product’ in the best possible way, bringing out his undisputed qualities. The goal is to attract investments and tourists.
Ryanair has decided to invest hundreds of millions of euros in Calabria, it will bring 10 new routes, many new jobs will be created, our three airports will further develop: Reggio Calabria, Lamezia Terme and Crotone. Air traffic in our Region in 2023 was approximately 3.3 million passengers. In 2024 we aim for 4 million. The goal is to have 6 million passengers in Calabria within a few years: effectively doubling the 2023 figure.
The challenge now is also to improve the accommodation of our hotel facilities. In a few months we will have an invasion of tourists from all over Europe and we must be ready. We have already made important investments in this sector, and we will make further efforts in this direction. We work for an increasingly welcoming Region, which knows how to show its natural beauty, its sea and its mountains, its history, tradition and culture, pampering tourists and ensuring that those who visit our territory can immediately become positive influencer of the extraordinary experiences lived in Calabria”.
«The 8 new routes – 5 international and 3 domestic – that Ryanair has activated from spring 2024 from Reggio Calabria represent good news for the entire South of the country. In a few months it will be possible to fly from the Reggio airport to Barcelona, Berlin, Bologna, Manchester, Marseille, Tirana, Turin and Venice. These new routes will have great importance also for the entire province of Messina, which will have many and innumerable benefits.” As Matilde Siracusanoundersecretary for relations with Parliament and member of Forza Italia from Messina.
«Passengers from Messina who want to reach the Strait airport – he continues – will also have dedicated connections from the Messina maritime station and will be able to access priority boarding once they arrive at the ‘Tito Minnitì. A new mobility opportunity for many Sicilian and Calabrian citizens, extremely positive news for the whole of Southern Italy.”