Ryanair axes 12% of Spanish routes, including over a third of its Madrid flights

PUBLISHED: November 29, 2012 at 1:45 pm • LAST EDITED: November 29, 2012 at 2:10 pm
Lead, National News • 10 Comments

• Ryanair will scrap 35% of its flights to Madrid

RYANAIR will cut flights to Spain by 12% in response to airport taxes having doubled at its two main cities.

Up to 4,500 Spanish jobs will be cut and 648 flights axed per week, with 35% of flights to Madrid cancelled by the Irish airline and 23% of those to Barcelona.

The tax hikes were introduced by the Spanish airport authority, AENA, in July this year.

“Ryanair objects to the Spanish government’s decision to double airport taxes at both Madrid and Barcelona airports and increase airport charges at many other Spanish airports,” said Ryanair deputy chief executive Michael Cawley.

“Sadly, this will again lead to severe traffic, tourism and job cuts at both Madrid and Barcelona airports this summer as part of a 12% overall reduction in Ryanair’s Spanish operations.

“Ryanair’s traffic cuts will cause a combined loss of 3.1m passengers and over 3,100 jobs at Madrid and Barcelona El Prat, while other airports elsewhere Europe offer lower costs, where Ryanair continues to grow.

“These route and traffic cuts can be reversed but only when the Spanish government and its already high cost airport monopoly AENA reverse these unjustified tax increases and reduces its high airport charges, in order to stimulate tourism.”

The cancellations will come into place from March 30, 2013.

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Reader Comments »

Peter

November 29th, 2012 1:59 pm

Sub-text is Ryaniar got it’s sums wrong again. Load Factor was too low on these routes as more and more people vow ABR (anyone but Ryanair) but in order to cover up the failing routes we’ll blame whoever we can.

Laurence

November 29th, 2012 2:56 pm

Not sure that’s great true @peter. Im no fan of their practises but on the other hand , if you play by their rules they provide a valuable service. They have reported record results and profits so it would appear that , in spite of all the’never again’ type feedback people are still voting with their feet and still cramming into their full aircraft. Basic rule is ‘you get what you pay for’ so if you don’t expect first class service for £25 you will not be disappointed !

Cowley

November 29th, 2012 5:18 pm

What exactly are these routes?

Tony Bishop

November 30th, 2012 8:49 am

What Ryanair says.

http://www.ryanair.com/en/news/ryanair-cuts-madrid-by-35-percent-and-barcelona-by-23-percent-in-response-to-aena-s-unjustified-price-increases-at-spanish-airports

anna

November 30th, 2012 11:01 pm

typical clever Spanish govt. Idiots!

Michel

December 1st, 2012 11:44 am

Good riddance I don’t fly them anyways Vueling is much better

roberto

December 1st, 2012 3:03 pm

the uk airport tax is alot more expensive than the spanish airport tax. plus spain’s budget airliners will get a slice of the market . VUELING much better or try IBERIA EXPRESS

anna

December 1st, 2012 11:14 pm

Anyone who thinks they’d be getting cheap flights now if airlines like Ryanair and Easyjet didn’t exist, then you’re deluded. As for Michael’s and Peter’s comments, including claims that Vueling are much better, try booking a flight from Malaga to Dublin, or more or less anywhere else, with them instead. Buenas suerte! As for Roberto’s comments (presuming you are Spanish), are all Spaniards so ungrateful for the business these people bring them … or is it that they aren’t bright enough to understand? Either way they don’t deserve the enormous benefits to their economy companies like Ryanair bring them. So put up the taxes, increase the iva … and dig deeper and deeper into the mire.

Steve

December 4th, 2012 2:06 pm

Of course, the article misses the point that Ryanair are ADDING new routes from Malaga, albeit to Germany. Although airport charges went up at Malaga it was by far less than at Madrid and Barcelona.

Michel

December 4th, 2012 10:37 pm

In my opinion Rayanair is to Ireland what Mc Donald’s is to America pure trash and if flights to Dublin are of importance to Irish Retirees maybe Dublin Airport should lower taxes.

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