Ryanair Suspends All Comiso Flights Amid Dispute with Airport Operator
Ryanair, Italy’s largest airline, abruptly canceled all routes to and from Comiso Airport in Ragusa, Sicily, following a conflict with airport operator SAC. The final Ryanair flights from Comiso are scheduled for May 3—just before passengers would become eligible for compensation under EU regulations.
SAC, which also manages Catania Airport, was set to co-host an event with Ryanair marking ten years of operations in Catania; the event was canceled following Ryanair’s withdrawal from Comiso. The airline called the situation “devastating” for the region and expressed willingness to resume operations if SAC honors the previously agreed terms.
Ryanair had primarily served domestic routes from Comiso catering to VFR (Visiting Friends and Relatives) passengers and had planned to launch a summer route to Brussels Charleroi. In response, SAC disputed Ryanair’s claims, asserting a provisional agreement was signed in January and that their conduct had been fair. SAC criticized Ryanair's recent communication as inconsistent with the spirit of their long-standing partnership.
Despite the dispute, SAC remains optimistic that cooperation will resume. For now, Comiso Airport will only have one weekly summer flight to Forlì, operated by Aeroitalia on behalf of Go To Fly.