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Written by Alan Charish
WARSAW (Reuters) – Poland has scrapped plans to spend billions of dollars on a huge hub airport in the country’s center, with the future of the project uncertain and instead putting some of the money toward regional airports. Ryanair executives said the funds should be used for development.
The new government is reconsidering plans to build the Solidarity Transport Hub (CPK), which was due to become operational in 2028 and serve 40 million passengers a year.
Although construction work has not yet begun, the project has faced criticism over its cost and size.
But supporters argue that building a mega-airport with high-speed rail links across the country would provide a significant economic stimulus to Poland.
“What I’m saying is that we’re going to spend part, part of the CPK budget, supporting the development of local airports, helping them grow and keeping our economy thriving,” Ryanair’s chief commercial officer, Jason McGuinness said in an interview with Reuters.
Investment in regional airports would be a boon for Ryanair, which aims to double its business in the fast-growing Polish market and expand across Eastern Europe over the next decade.
During his visit to Poland, McGuinness discussed moving flights from Warsaw’s Modlin Airport to other locations in Poland.
Ryanair said failure to reach an agreement with Modlin management regarding the airport expansion, and lack of cooperation, left it with no option but to further reduce its operations at the airport.
Modlin Airport did not respond to an emailed request for comment.
“It’s not completely decided yet, but I think it’s certain that Modlin production capacity will be reduced by a mid-to-high tenth (percentage) in summer 2024 versus summer 2023,” McGuinness said. Ta.
“More aircraft will come out of Modlin and our hope is to meet with a sensible airport partner… (because) even if we take aircraft out of Modlin, we want to keep them in Poland. Body.”
(Reporting by Alan Charlish; Editing by Mark Potter)
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