The airport’s head of routes development, Cyrielle Clement, told The Local that they “are not hugely worried about the departure of Ryanair, but there will be a knock-on impact for about two to three years, as we try to recover the full level of traffic Ryanair offered.”

In May, low-cost airline Irish Ryanair announced it would close its base of operations in the French city of Bordeaux. The airline will end its operations at France’s eighth largest airport, Bordeaux-Merignac airport, on October 27th following a failure to reach an agreement about fees.

Ryanair had been Bordeaux’s second largest operator, representing around 25 percent of the airport’s traffic and offering flights to and from around 40 different destinations around Europe including connections to the UK.

But Clement said that talks are ongoing with other budget airlines to pick up the routes left by Ryanair.

Here’s a look at the immediate future of Bordeaux connections, and what may change in the future;

UK routes

For many Brits visiting France, Bordeaux is a well-liked destination, in addition to offering a gateway to south-west France, which is a popular location for British residents and second-home owners.

Clement said: “The British market is still extremely important for Bordeaux, and we are trying to offer as many destinations to the UK as possible.

“In the short term, we are focusing on recovering the destinations previously served by Ryanair, though potentially not at the same volume.”

Ryanair ran flights to UK cities including Birmingham, Edinburgh, London (Stansted) and Manchester.

Clement said: “We do not have certitude or confirmation right now, but we are putting a lot of effort into recovering certain liaisons, like Edinburgh, which is a very popular line and has historic significance for Bordeaux. We’re in talks with several companies.

“As for Manchester, easyJet already offers this line in the summer, but there is a possibility we could increase the frequency or add another operator to the line.

“For Birmingham, it will not be offered next summer, but we are in talks with other airlines. 

“The big change for Brits this upcoming winter will be the loss of flights to and from London-Stansted, and there is still a big question mark next to this line. We’re still not sure if we will be able to offer new flights there and back after Ryanair leaves.

“That said, flights to London-Gatwick will continue, via easyJet and British Airways.”

EasyJet is remaining at the Bordeaux airport with “no plans to leave” – it offers flights to Belfast, Bristol, London (Gatwick) and Manchester, and may expand in the wake of Ryanair’s departure.

READ MORE: What will happen to flights from Bordeaux airport after Ryanair leaves?

Ireland routes

Ryanair offered flights to Dublin and Cork from Bordeaux airport, and these will also be scrapped once the airline leaves.

However, Clement specified that for Dublin flights, “from this winter, there will be a reinforcement on the line thanks to Aer Lingus, which already operates fights on the line.

“As for the winter (of 2024), Aer Lingus offers at least four weekly flights. In the summer we hope to have daily flights, but with Dublin part of the issue is the airport’s capacity,” she said.

“We are in conversation with other airlines to offer an alternative for the flight to Cork.”

US routes

Bordeaux currently does not offer direct flights to the US, but talks are ongoing.

As for connecting flights from the US to Bordeaux, Clement said there is good news, thanks to Aer Lingus which offers a connecting flight from the US to Bordeaux, via Dublin.

“This is interesting for Americans. This past summer, Aer Lingus modified their hours a bit to better facilitate connecting flights to the US. This meant that four flights a week had accessible connections to the US, and for Americans it is a huge advantage to fly via Ireland thanks to the US Preclearance facility,” Clement said.

The Preclearance (USCBP) facility allows US bound passengers to go through customs and immigration while still at the Dublin airport, saving a lot of time for people once they land on US soil.

Impact for the airport overall

Although the departure of Ryanair will undoubtedly have an impact, Bordeaux airport, which has previously been ranked among Europe’s worst airports, is pushing ahead with a €100 million expansion and refurbishment plan, to be completed by 2028. 

This includes the construction of a new central building between Halls A and B, offering more efficient security operations, as well as plans to make the airport more environmentally sustainable, via solar panels and electric charging stations in the parking lots.

Clement also specified that passengers will be able to enjoy a larger check-in area, as well as a significantly improved duty-free section for passengers to shop before travelling. You can see images of the proposed changes here and here.

The airport will remain open during the renovations.

While France is home to many small airports, a large proportion of which are dependent on government aid and public funding, Clement noted that Bordeaux airport is not in the same situation and despite being a public airport, it does not receive state funding.