Removal of the Clermont-Porto line by Ryanair: the Portuguese community comes out of silence to save “a vital link”

“We’re fed up. We don’t want to let this happen anymore! » For Carlos Da Costa, spokesperson for the Luso France collective, the elimination of the Clermont-Ferrand – Porto line operated by Ryanair is “the straw that breaks the camel’s back”. The petition launched this Monday, January 26 is already mobilizing the Portuguese community, with nearly 15,000 people around Clermont and 30,000 in Puy-de-Dôme. The second in France behind the Paris region. “This line was 98% full. It was not a gadget, it was a vital link for our families, our elders, our businesses,” insists Carlos.

Same tone from Isidore Fartaria, honorary consul of Portugal in Clermont-Ferrand. Both worried and cautious, he recognizes his delicate position: “I was president of the Chamber of Commerce, I know the airport issue perfectly. Today, with my consul hat, I must defend the Portuguese community. And very sincerely, this decision is difficult for me to digest. »

A possible conflict of interest pointed out

He recalls the figures: “We had two return trips per week, 188 passengers per flight, with a occupancy rate of around 98%. Personally, I have my business in Portugal, I went from Clermont to Porto in four hours. Tomorrow I should go to Lyon. And I’m far from the only one. This is a real economic problem. » On the ground, tension is rising. “I receive emails, text messages, calls. People are frustrated. They tell me: we are a silent community, we don’t break anything, but do we have to be violent to be heard? » worries the consul.

Beyond the Portuguese case, Isidore Fartaria warns about the very future of the Clermont airport. “Porto, Fez and London (Editor’s note: the three lines deleted)these are around 60,000 passengers per year. If these lines disappear, it’s a terrible blow. We are talking about 70 to 80 employees, security forces, businesses, car rental companies. An entire ecosystem is becoming fragile. » He also points out a possible conflict of interest: “Vinci manages Clermont, but also Lyon, 180 kilometers away, and the motorway between the two. What is the interest for them in developing Clermont rather than concentrating traffic in Lyon? I seriously ask myself this question. »

Same determination from Carlos Da Costa: “Clermont is already landlocked, without TGV, with unworthy trains. Now the plane is being taken away from us. Mobility is not a luxury, it is a right. We want a solution, a new company, and quickly. » The battle has only just begun.