Frankfurt Hahn going down!

[King of Ryanland]

It's not the first time MO'L has talked about the problem that Frankfurt Hahn is Ryanairs only base beside Shannon that is not profitable. Now this fact is taking on a new dimension. Hahn Airport has decided to levy passengers with a 3 € "Future-Development-Tax" and Ryanair has urged them not to do so. But as usual Airports don't listen!

The tax will be implemented as from 1st April 2009 (summer schedule). Ryanair has responded by threatening to reduce their number of based aircraft and routes at Frankfurt Hahn Airport. It looks bad for the airport because on the one side they aren't profitable themselves and on the other hand Ryanair is also losing a small amount of money during their operations.

Frankfurt Hahn Airport want's to secure growth by implementing this tax for terminal expansion and restructuring, but what their going to get is a traffic LOSS! Very sad to see another good airport make a big mistake like this. Recently Valencia, Fuerteventura and Forli made similar mistakes and got smacked in the face by Ryanair! Maybe Frankfurt Hahn needs a smack in the face too to wake up!

[guest]

I am very surprised to discover that Hahn is not profitable because i frequently fly the Birmingham-Hahn route and the flights i have been on are neally full and when i arrive in Hahn it is always busy at the Ryanair chech-in desks. hope the do not close the Birmingham route as i will have to pay a lot of money to travel with Lufthansa

[skdjfhbsd]

One has to consider as well, that Hahn airport has not profitable for its owner, Fraport for a number of years. When Hahn first opened, it was necessary to offer low airport fees to get carriers to serve the airport. Now that the airport has plenty of flights.... should Fraport continue to subsidise Ryanair, or should Fraport treat Hahn as a business like any other ? It's a private company with shareholders, not the Government.

MOL will make a big fuss - but he's had it good for quite a few years with *very* low airport fees. Now he has to pay more realistic fees and he doesn't like it !

[atoutprix]

If Ryanair has to pay higher airport fees, it will have to increase the fares.
Most passengers have to travel quite a long way to reach Hahn airport, which is far away from Frankfurt and from everywhere, one must acknowledge. Passengers agree to do that provided that the fares are low, very low - if the fares are raised, less customers will drive 100 or 150 km to Hahn ...

[RyanairGrad]

From another forum:
Next Tuesday (Jan 13th) Ryanair's Deputy Chief Executive Officer Michael Cawley will held the press conference in Germany (HHN), to make a "significant announcement for Frankfurt-Hahn". The conference starts at 11:30, the announcement will give the details of already-hinted retreat from this important FR's stronghold in Germany. It could be a very severe move, as rumoured. Job losses, a large number of flight/route cancellations expected, several planes based there will be transferred to other airports. The assembly of all local Ryanair staff and management will take place one hour before the press event in Hahn Meeting Center.

The official reason: so called Hahn-Taler, a new passenger fee.

[MrHoyt]

oh god no...

I have bought a flight (family 4 pax) to hhn from gse and onward to cia from hhn...
(February 14-18)

Do you think i'm n danger of loosing this `?

[RyanAdmin]

losing your money? no

if HNN is going down, you can rebook your flights for free.

[MrHoyt]

Yes , but it could be difficult since hhn isnt my final destination...
Im flying GSE>HHN>CIA it could be hard to combine that....

Do you think hahn will go down within a month ?

[Master_Dn]

if the new fee implemented ... the day before, Ryanair is out.
April is the date the fee is supposed to start.

[King of Ryanland]

oh god no...

I have bought a flight (family 4 pax) to hhn from gse and onward to cia from hhn...
(February 14-18)

Do you think i'm n danger of loosing this `?

I believe not. The significant changes will happen from April onwards, as soon as the summer schedule has started. There is no reason to cut flights for February and March.

[guest]

Can anybody translate what does it mean??

[guest]

I forgot to add link in first post, sorry

[RyanairGrad]

Latest rumor:
FRAPORT will sell HHN, the 3€ "Hahn-Taler" will not come and FR will stay with all the 11 a/c and now there are rumours about expansion

Don't know if it's true....I think it is best to wait for the press conference of MOL tomorrow.

[guest]

[don_salvatore87]

Personally I think it's a stupid idea, to force passengers departing Hahn to purchase this "Hahn-Taler", there must be some better way to raise the funds necessary for the "Make HHN Weatherproof" project.
Actually I've never heard about airports forcing pax to contribute, are there any other airports actually doing this besides HHN?

This new fee will raise the price of the total airfare, which in turn will lead to fewer routes and fewer passengers.