Ryanair Threatens Further Flight Cuts in Spain Amidst Fee Dispute

Ryanair has issued a warning that it may remove an additional one million seats from its flights to Spain next summer. This action would be in response to the Spanish airport operator, Aena, not reconsidering its increased charges. The airline has already canceled two million seats for the current summer and upcoming winter seasons due to Aena's 6.5% fee increase. Ryanair's CEO, Michael O’Leary, stated that he will soon return to Madrid and is likely to announce further seat reductions for the next summer. He emphasized that if costs in regional Spain remain too high, the airline will shift its operations elsewhere.

Ryanair has already redirected half a million seats from regional airports to larger bases within Spain and even to Italy. The airline will not operate flights to several Spanish airports this winter, including Santiago de Compostela, Vigo, Valladolid, Jerez, and Tenerife North. Instead, these flights will be rerouted to destinations like Malaga, Palma, and Italy. Aena's decision to raise airport charges next year will result in the highest fees in a decade, despite record passenger numbers at Spanish airports.

Aena's chairman has accused Ryanair of "extortion" and described the airline's actions as "impertinent." Spain’s transport minister has also supported Aena, calling Ryanair’s tactics "blackmail." The consumer affairs minister has criticized the European Commission for planning a meeting between the transport commissioner and Mr. O’Leary.

Spain is a significant market for Ryanair, representing a substantial portion of its revenue. However, Mr. O’Leary has indicated that the airline is prepared to continue reducing its capacity if the charges remain unchanged. He criticized the situation, highlighting the dominance of a single state-owned company, Aena, in the Spanish airport system. Aena operates numerous airports across Spain, and the country welcomed a large number of international visitors last year. Ryanair currently serves over twenty airports in Spain, including popular tourist destinations. The airline is also pushing for improvements in the competitiveness of regional airports, claiming that they are underutilized due to an ineffective tariff structure.