Ryanair, a major European low-cost airline, has announced significant cuts to its 2025 flight schedule at several regional Spanish airports, sparking a heated dispute with Spanish airport operator Aena. The airline cites “excessive” airport fees as the reason for removing 800,000 seats, representing 18% of its Spanish operations and resulting in the complete cessation of service to Jerez and Valladolid airports, and substantial reductions in Vigo, Santiago, Zaragoza, Asturias, and Santander. Ryanair frames the cuts as a response to Aena’s lack of growth incentives at regional airports, forcing them to reallocate resources to more competitive European markets.
Aena vehemently denies Ryanair’s accusations, labeling them as “blackmail” and accusing the airline of attempting to leverage its market power to secure free airport access. Aena President Maurici Lucena highlights Ryanair’s history of employing aggressive tactics across Europe and criticizes their lack of respect and good faith in the current dispute. Aena emphasizes that their average airport charge of €10.35 per passenger has remained frozen since 2024 and, further, that they have implemented incentive schemes offering substantial discounts, potentially reducing Ryanair’s per-passenger fee at regional airports to as low as €2. They argue Ryanair’s claims are a smokescreen for standard business decisions regarding route profitability.
The conflict escalated further when Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary publicly attacked Spanish Consumer Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy, referring to him as a “crazy communist minister” for imposing a €107.8 million fine on Ryanair for charging passengers for carry-on luggage. Bustinduy responded by asserting that no amount of pressure or insults would deter him from protecting Spanish consumers. This clash underscores the broader tension between Ryanair’s cost-cutting business model and government regulations aimed at safeguarding consumer rights.
The impact of Ryanair’s cuts varies across the affected airports. Valladolid will be left with only one commercial operator, while Jerez will maintain several routes served by other airlines. Vigo faces the most significant capacity reduction among the remaining airports. Ryanair maintains that Aena’s refusal to incentivize regional airport usage has forced their hand, while Aena counters that their existing incentive programs offer significant discounts and that Ryanair’s claims are disingenuous.
At the heart of the dispute is the complex interplay of airport fees, airline profitability, and consumer protection. While Ryanair attributes its actions to high fees, Aena argues that its charges are among the lowest in Europe and that Ryanair is misrepresenting the situation. Aena emphasizes a broader context of rising costs across the aviation industry due to inflationary pressures, impacting fuel, staff, and supplies. They highlight that airfares have seen substantial increases, with estimates ranging from 16% to 38% compared to pre-pandemic levels, while airport charges in Europe have only risen by 13.6%. This disparity, according to Aena, demonstrates the financial constraints faced by airports and the limitations on their ability to increase charges.
A key point of contention revolves around a 4.09% increase in airport fees approved by the Spanish competition authority (CNMC) in 2024, despite a government-mandated five-year fee freeze starting in 2021. This increase, amounting to €0.40 per passenger, is cited by Ryanair as evidence of Aena’s excessive charges. Aena, however, points out that a subsequent proposed increase for 2025 was rejected by the CNMC. Furthermore, Aena questions Ryanair’s claims about profitability, highlighting the high occupancy rates on Ryanair’s regional flights, even exceeding those at major city airports. They underscore that Ryanair’s overall operations in Spain are projected to increase by 5% in 2025, despite the announced cuts.
Aena’s primary argument hinges on the assertion that Ryanair’s actions are motivated by a desire to operate at Spanish airports, particularly regional ones, essentially for free. They argue that this undermines the financial sustainability of the Spanish airport system. Aena highlights Ryanair’s growth at major Spanish tourist airports, where the full per-passenger fee applies, suggesting that Ryanair’s cuts are strategically targeted to pressure Aena and the government. Lucena even suggests that Ryanair’s actions could be considered illegal under Spanish law. Aena concludes that Ryanair’s rhetoric masks a broader strategy of seeking undue concessions and jeopardizing the long-term viability of Spain’s airport network. This ongoing dispute raises crucial questions about the balance between airline profitability, airport sustainability, and consumer protection within the volatile landscape of the European aviation market.
