Ryanair has cut 1.2 million seats to Spain from its Summer 2026 schedule, including all flights to and from Asturias, in the latest blow to the country’s regional airports.
Last month the airline said one million seats to regional Spanish airports would be cut this winter. The airline announced plans to discontinue service to Tenerife North at the beginning of the winter season, close its aircraft base in Santiago, and cut half of its flights to Vigo beginning January 1 2026.
The company said the decisions are a “direct result of the Spanish Government’s failure to stop Aena’s monopoly fee increases” and “illegal bag fines”.
Ryanair Group CEO Michael O’Leary, said: “AENA and its major shareholder, the Spanish Government, continue to harm regional traffic growth, tourism and jobs in Spain through high airport fees and unjustified price increases.
“We regret that these fee increases make Regional Spanish airports uncompetitive, and this is why Ryanair is switching 1.2m more seats away from Regional airports in Spain in S2026, to some of Spain’s bigger airports, but mainly to lower-cost competitor airports in Italy, Morocco, Croatia, Sweden, and Hungary.”
Aena, Spain’s state-owned company which operates 46 airports in the country, has approved a 6.62 per cent increase in airline fees from March 2026 - which remains one of the lowest in Europe. Ryanair has argued the increase is unjustified given Aena’s profits and the underutilisation on Spain’s regional airports.
Mr O’Leary added: “Furthermore, despite Government promises to reverse Minister Bustinduy’s illegal bag fines, Prime Minister Sanchez has taken no action for two years now. Bustinduy’s bag fines are clearly illegal, as they are in breach of EU Regulation on airline pricing freedom, and they are in breach of the ECJ Ruling the Vueling case, which established that airlines are free to charge for carry-on bags, as long as every passenger is allowed to bring a small bag ‘Maleta Gratis’ for their personal items.”
The EU Commission announced an infringment procedure against Spain earlier today for the €179 million fine it imposed on Ryanair and other budget airlines, including Easyjet and Veuling, for charging extra fees for hand luggage or reserving adjacent seats to accompany dependent persons.
“Minister Bustinduy is not just incompetent, but his bag fines are in clear breach of EU law and ECJ Rulings. If Prime Minister Sanchez has any respect for EU law, then he should dismiss Bustinduy, and cancel these illegal bag fines,” the Irish businessman said.
“While we wish to continue to grow air traffic and connectivity to Regional Spain, we are prevented from doing so by the Aena’s Monopoly high airport fees and the failure of Prime Minister Sanchez and his Government, to restrain this overcharging Airport Monopoly, which they own and control,” he added.
“We look forward to returning to Growth in Regional Spain, when Aena fees are reduced, making them competitive with lower-cost airports elsewhere in Morocco, Italy, Croatia, Hungary and other EU States, who are abolishing Aviation Taxes and lowering airport fees to grow their traffic and tourism industries.”
