Ryanair will cut one million seats to Spain this winter following what it describes as “excessive and uncompetitive” price hikes from the country’s airport operator.
The budget Irish airline announced that two million annual seats will be diverted away from Spain in a “tourism disaster” on Wednesday (3 September).
Airport operator Aena announced a 6.62 per cent increase in airport charges starting in 2026— the highest increase in a decade, said the airline.
Following the fare increase, Ryanair will reduce its capacity at Spanish regional airports by 600,000 seats (41 per cent) and by 400,000 seats in the Canary Islands (10 per cent) this winter season.
This means the cancellation of 36 direct connections with regional Spain and the Canary Islands.
Ryanair will also close operations at its two-aircraft base in Santiago, resulting in the loss of a £149m investment in the Galicia region, said the airline.
All flights to Tenerife North will similarly be suspended from the end of this year, as well as flights to Vigo as of 1 January 2026.
The airlines' bases in Valladolid and Jerez will remain closed until winter, with capacity further reduced in Asturias, Santander, Zaragoza and Vitoria.
According to the airline, Aena’s decision to increase airport charges is evidence that the operator “simply wants to focus on making record profits from the country's main airports”.
It added that the airport operator and the Spanish government have “failed the Spanish regions” with airports now almost 70 per cent empty.
As a result of the “excessive increase”, Ryanair’s winter capacity will be redirected from Spain to “more efficient” airports in Italy, Morocco, Croatia, Sweden, and Hungary.
Ryanair, Spain’s leading passenger airline, employs more than 10,000 pilots, cabin crew, and engineers in the country.
Eddie Wilson, CEO of Ryanair, said that although the airline remains “committed to Spain”, it “cannot justify continued investment in airports whose growth is being stymied by excessive and uncompetitive charges.”
Wilson said: “It is shocking that, despite contributing €28bn (£24bn) to the Spanish economy and one in three tourists arriving on Ryanair flights, there is no willingness to collaborate to stimulate traffic in areas that need capacity, connectivity, and investment.
“Ryanair once again calls on the CNMC and the Spanish government to reject these excessive charge increases and extend the charge freeze to protect regional connectivity, tourism, and jobs.”
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