Ryanair Threatens To Axe Another 1m Spain Seats Next Summer

Ryanair has warned that it could slash different 1 cardinal seats from flights to Spain adjacent summer, escalating its statement pinch nan country’s state-owned airdrome usability Aena complete rider charges.

The airline, which already trim up to 2 cardinal seats complete nan past year, is opinionated patient successful its refusal to salary a 6.5 per cent hike successful fees. Speaking aft nan company’s yearly meeting, Ryanair leader Michael O’Leary told nan Financial Times he expects to corroborate nan caller cuts erstwhile he returns to Madrid successful 2 weeks.

That connection was later confirmed to Euro Weekly News by nan airline’s caput of communications, Alejandra Ruiz García.

Ryanair pushes backmost against Aena’s charges

O’Leary said nan problem is simple: Aena is raising costs crossed nan board, sloppy of airdrome size aliases demand. “We are amended disconnected flying astatine nan aforesaid costs to Palma than flying to Jerez,” he said, criticising what he called Aena’s ‘monopoly attack to pricing’.

For Ryanair, which flies much passengers successful and retired of Spain than immoderate different airline, including Iberia, nan conflict is much than symbolic. Spain is its second-largest marketplace aft Italy, accounting for 18 per cent of full gross past year.

The budget bearer has already pulled wintertime flights from Santiago de Compostela, Vigo, Valladolid, Jerez and Tenerife. O’Leary has made clear that unless fees are rolled back, nan cuts will deepen.

Empty airports and redirected flights

Ryanair argues that Aena’s strategy is pricing retired location airports, leaving terminals half-empty while postulation funnels into hubs for illustration Málaga and Palma.

Of nan 1 cardinal seats already removed from smaller airports, astir half a cardinal person been redirected to Málaga and Palma, while nan remainder person been shifted to Italian destinations. O’Leary claimed nan spat has really boosted demand, telling reporters that Ryanair bookings are ‘up 8 per cent successful a week’ acknowledgment to nan publicity.

Aena, however, has deed back, accusing Ryanair of ‘extortion’ and pointing retired that nan summation amounts to conscionable €0.68 per passenger. Officials besides noted that Ryanair has formally applied to run much flights than it publically claims to beryllium cutting.

What it intends for passengers

For holidaymakers and expats who trust connected fund flights to link Spain pinch nan remainder of Europe, nan threat of different cardinal seats disappearing could mean less options and higher fares successful nan highest summertime months of 2026.

The hose insists it will proceed to turn wherever nan costs make sense. “If location Spain is excessively expensive, we’ll alert elsewhere,” O’Leary said bluntly.

Behind nan scenes, nan Irish bearer is besides pushing up pinch its fleet description . After months of delays, Ryanair expects to person 25 caller Boeing craft this year, pinch 4 much early successful 2026.

Impact connected Spain’s recreation industry

Spain’s tourism system depends heavy connected low-cost airlines, and immoderate simplification successful flights will beryllium felt not conscionable by passengers but besides by hotels, bars and section businesses. As nan statement betwixt Ryanair and Aena intensifies, nan result will thief find whether Spain’s smaller airports tin thrive – aliases proceed to suffer crushed to bigger hubs.

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