RYANAIR has doubled down on a threat to cut almost one million seats from regional Spanish airports next summer in a showdown over soaring airport charges.
The Olive Press reported the ‘proposed’ cuts last month, but now CEO Eddie Wilson has told reporters that the airline has no choice but to slash capacity after Aena, Spain’s state-backed airport manager, announced a 6.5% hike in passenger fees for 2026 – the highest increase in a decade.
Wilson accused the Spanish government of ‘indifference’ as regional airports sit nearly 70% empty, warning the move will hit travellers in Spain’s so-called ‘empty Spain’ hardest. “Less passengers, fewer jobs, fewer connections, and less tourism,” he said bluntly.
“This is a monopoly that abuses its power by hiking fees,” Wilson said. “Other countries like Italy, Sweden, and Hungary are cutting charges to attract traffic. If Europe’s lowest-cost airline can’t make it work, nobody can.”
The airline has already trimmed 800,000 seats and 12 routes this summer due to ‘excessive fees’, pulling out of Jerez and Valladolid, reducing traffic in Vigo, Santiago, Zaragoza, Asturias, and Santander, and even removing a plane from Santiago de Compostela. But it increased the number of seats to big airports like Madrid, Malaga and Alicante by 1.5 million.
Wilson slammed Aena for failing to incentivise airlines to use underutilised regional airports. “It seems the government is happy to let these airports rot,” he said. Ryanair has proposed handing control of less profitable airports to regional authorities – ‘we don’t care who runs them, as long as they’re competitive’.
While Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, and the islands face pressure to expand, Wilson demanded efficient investments, noting that Aena funds its projects through airline fees over 25 years – money Ryanair says comes straight out of its pockets.
He also branded the government’s €108 million luggage fine against Ryanair as ‘populist’, predicting Brussels will step in to challenge Spain.
He also branded the government’s €108 million luggage fine against Ryanair as ‘populist’, predicting Brussels will step in to challenge Spain.
Click here to read more Travel News from The Olive Press.
Probably creating an opening for other no frill airlines. CEO Wilson is missguided if he thinks that the cost of airline tickets, even at the new rate that passengers would have to pay, is anything significant as a total spend of the average 7 nights tourist.
Not really. I have never seen other low cost airlines to offer flights to Zaragoza, Santander or Vigo. Why should they change their mind this time?