The Region has officially written to Ryanair: it is the first step in the plan to abolish boarding taxes, at least during the winter period . "We have started this dialogue with Ryanair, but we are open to proposals also from other companies interested in contributing to the strengthening of routes to and from Sardinia", clarified the Transport Councillor, Barbara Manca.
The project costs about 10 million euros per year, that is, the lost tax revenue in the six months of low season. "The intervention thus conceived by the Region would have a cost comparable to that of the other Regions that have joined the proposal to eliminate the tax: Calabria, Abruzzo and Friuli Venezia Giulia. A decidedly more sustainable expense compared to Ryanair's first request to abolish the additional tax in all 12 months of the year."
This first step comes after the recent meeting that took place in Cagliari, together with the Tourism Department, with Jason McGuinness, Ryanair's commercial director, and is part of a broader strategy to strengthen connections between Sardinia and the rest of Europe. It was the Irish carrier that asked for the abolition of the so-called "municipal tax" in the three airports of the Island. The low cost airline would be ready to invest with new routes to bring 2 million more passengers to the Island per year.
The opening to Ryanair's requests is part of "an integrated system with existing tools, including territorial continuity with Rome and Milan, which guarantees discounted flights for residents and equivalent categories; the system of social aid for air transport, which allows a 25% discount on routes with costs over 100 euros to the entire European economic area; the call for new routes being published", the Transport Department says.
The opposition in the Regional Council partially approves the move of the Executive: "It's a start, but more courage would be needed to consider the demolition for the whole year, not just for the winter", says Paolo Truzzu, group leader of Fratelli d'Italia in the Regional Council.