According to the media, the discussion took place in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. Philippe Verdonck, CEO of the “Brussels-South Charleroi” airport, confirms the information, but refuses to comment on the content of the agreement. Hungarian low-cost carrier Visor is also said to have finalized a contract extension.

In an interview with the Echo, Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, clarified that the Irish company did not receive any subsidy from the Walloon region and that this development in Charleroi was based on other motivations. “All we do is negotiate prices. Look at the supermarkets, don’t you say Aldi and Lidl are subsidized by their suppliers? They have negotiated huge discounts from suppliers in the interest of their customers,” he said.

According to the calculations of media specialized in the economy, a plane with 189 seats will cost 5,400 euros less from Charleroi because of the fees charged by Savantum.

Ryanair’s boss is driving the point home by insisting that “Brussels Airport is just a very badly managed airport” and that its director Arnaud Feist “doesn’t understand anything” after the Brussels-based company announced the withdrawal of two planes this winter. to Aviation”.

The businessman also questions the current environmental tax on direct flights to and from Belgium. According to him, this tax also applies to connecting flights, which are “doubly polluting”.