Low-cost carrier Ryanair is expected to be back in Bergerac airport next year, the president of the Dordogne Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) has told The Connexion.
鈥淓verything suggests that Ryanair will be at Bergerac for the summer of 2026,鈥� said Dordogne CCI president Christophe Fauvel.
In June, Ryanair announced that it was cancelling winter flights this year from Bergerac airport, alongside Brive and Strasbourg, in part due to increased airline taxes in France.
The announcement caught airport operator the Dordogne CCI by surprise.
In the hours that followed, French media including the public-service broadcaster FranceInfo, reported that the decision might lead to the airport being closed.
Christophe Fauvel, however, told The Connexion in a Q and A session that this is not the case.
In addition, he said the budget airline may return to the airport after this winter pause.
Read our full interview below.
Do you think that the future of Bergerac airport is threatened by the withdrawal of Ryanair?
No, the future of the airport is not threatened.
We have to understand that Ryanair only announced the suspension of its London 鈥� Stansted service during the winter months.
Our traffic is very seasonal, with the majority of our passengers flying between April and October.
The line suspended (during the winter) represents around 18,000 passengers and so the suspension will have a limited impact.
Also, this winter we will be carrying out infrastructure projects on the system of runway lighting, between January and the end of February, and so the Ryanair announcement will not change the fundamentals of our operation.
Having said that, we remain very attentive to future announcements from Ryanair because Bergerac is a strategic airport for Dordogne and the south-west.
This implication is that you think Ryanair will be back next summer. Can we say that?
I can confirm that at the present moment, everything suggests that Ryanair will be at Bergerac for the summer of 2026.
What reaction have you had from your members and the wider population?
The reaction has come from the economic sector which is concerned about the future of the airport.
It has a big impact 鈥� each year we estimate that the airport generates between 鈧�60 million and 鈧�100 million of economic activity for the department and its surrounding areas.
This impacts Dordogne, but also the south of Gironde, a part of Lot-et-Garrone and also Lot.
The airport plays a major role in tourist activities, hotels, restaurants, shops and even the property market with the presence of British people who have chosen to live here.
It is a strategic tool for the local economy and all the area.
We have readers who live in the south of Dordogne, Lot-et-Garonne and Lot. They are used to having an air link with Britain 鈥� do you think they will have new routes?
We have good reason to believe they will continue.
In 2003 the CCI of Dordogne launched the development of Bergerac airport with links to Britain 鈥� at that time with the company 鈥楤uzz!鈥�.
Since then partnerships have proved to be solid and reliable, especially the last 20 years with Ryanair.
British residents here find a good quality of life, with natural spaces, an agreeable climate and an authentic art de vivre.
The links between Britain and us are deep and we are convinced they will continue in the future.
At the Dordogne CCI we will fight to ensure that Bergerac remains an essential bridge between our department and the United Kingdom.
The turbulence we are experiencing at the moment does not threaten the future of our airport.
There have been suggestions that low-cost rivals Vueling and Volotea are interested in flights between Bergerac and the UK. Is this true? What about Air France and BA ?
We already have the luck to work with BA on the line between Bergerac and London City airport.
It is something we are proud of, a good advertisement and a proof of confidence in our performance.
As for Vueling and Volotea, if they confirm they are interested, it will be a great pleasure to welcome them.
Both of them have a good reputation and propose attractive destinations.
They will fit in perfectly here, as a complement to our existing airlines or, if need be, to compensate for eventual withdrawals.
Bergerac airport has always tried to attract and keep airline partners, and we remain open and available to new partnerships.
Our Dordogne-based readers have said they are willing to pay the extra taxes to keep routes open. Do you know the percentage of your passengers who are locals or second-home owners, and how many are tourists?
That passengers on low-cost airlines are prepared to pay a little more for their tickets is excellent news for regional airports like Bergerac.
It shows they are attached to keeping lines alive for the benefits to the area.
I do not have figures for how many passengers are residents or have second homes in the area, but I can say the Ryanair link represents 70% of the overall traffic for Bergerac.
We have around 250,000 passengers a year and this shows the importance of this company for our platform, and the importance to keep this offer, while remaining open to the diversification of air transport.
