Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) this summer will operate 15 routes to/from Pescara this summer, making it its largest-ever operation from the Italian Adriatic coast city.
The Irish budget carrier, in a statement, announced it would station one aircraft at Pescara in summer 2022 to operate 100 weekly flights, 20 more than before the pandemic.
This would include two new routes to Manchester International in northern England, and Memmingen in Germany.
Pointing out that it supported the post-pandemic recovery in Italy, the airline again requested the Italian government to eliminate Italy's "tourism tax" (municipal surcharge) on all air travel from 2022 to 2025. "The tax is affecting the competitiveness of Italian airports compared to other European ones," commented Ryanair's Country Manager Italy, Mauro Bolla.
Abruzzo Region President Marco Marsilio, said Pescara's Abruzzo Airport was heavily impacted by the pandemic. It had recorded a 72.9% decrease in passengers at the end of September 2020. Still, the region continued to invest in the airport, including a runway extension which opened the opportunity for intercontinental flights.
Vittorio Catone, President of Saga, the company that manages Abruzzo Airport, said the company noticed signs of recovery. In April 2022, the airport handled 66,823 passengers, exceeding the 66,370 recorded in April 2019. "The desire to return to travel and live normally is clear and palpable," he said.
