"Bizarre": this is how Ryanair described the Regional Council's decision to block the "sensible proposal" (presented by the leader of the Brothers of Italy party, Paolo Truzzu) to abolish the municipal surcharge for Sardinian citizens, as well as the rejection of the company's "rapid growth proposal," which would have generated over 2 million additional passengers per year (a 40% growth), four additional aircraft (a $400 million investment), a new base in Northern Sardinia (creating over 900 local jobs), and new domestic and international routes to markets such as Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the Nordic countries.
The proposal for an immediate cut had arrived in the chamber through a motion, but the Campo Largo majority postponed everything to a subsequent provision that could concern a reduction in the surcharge only for the winter months.
"While the Region's inertia continues, one only needs to look at Abruzzo, Calabria, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Sicily and, more recently, Emilia-Romagna," Ryanair attack, "to see the rapid growth of Ryanair that can be achieved by abolishing the municipal surcharge:
- Abruzzo: +80% traffic, 1 new aircraft and 8 new routes.
- Calabria: 100% more capacity, new base in Reggio, 3 new aircraft, 31 new routes, and a new Ryanair maintenance facility.
- Friuli Venezia Giulia: +140% traffic, 2 new aircraft and 11 new routes.
- Sicily: +1 million passengers per year, new base in Trapani, 2 new aircraft and 11 new routes.
- Emilia-Romagna: +50% traffic and 9 new routes».
Over the next decade, a statement reads, "it will receive 300 B737 MAX-10 aircraft. These aircraft, and the resulting growth in traffic, tourism, and employment, will be allocated to the most competitive markets. Sardinia is competing not only with other Italian regions that have abolished the municipal surcharge," the statement warns, "but also with other EU countries that are reducing aviation taxes and lowering airport fees to attract investment and growth from airlines."
If Sardinia "does not abolish the municipal surcharge to make the island more competitive, it will not only lose the growth projected in Ryanair's proposal, but also run the risk of losing Sardinia's current capacity to these more competitive markets." The Irish carrier, through Chief Commercial Officer Jason McGuinness, is very harsh: "It's time for Sardinia to stop wasting time and money on unreliable regional continuity routes and instead focus on investing in sustainable connections at low fares, abolishing the regressive municipal surcharge as other Italian regions have already done."