Furious Ryanair closes Valencia base

RYANAIR has claimed the refusal of Valencia airport management to promote the airline’s European routes has led it to close its base there.

The airline said the closure would result in the axing of more than 70 weekly flights to Valencia and the loss of more than 750 jobs in the region.

Ryanair, which carries 750,000 passengers per year into the Spanish airport, said the pullout came because the airport authority, Comunitat Valenciana, was also failing to promote the region. The company said since investing €112 million in its Valencia base, it had been seeking co-operation with the tourism section of the Comunitat Valenciana, with a view to promoting the region across Europe.