Ryanair is urging the Spanish government and airport operator Aena to reduce airport fees after cutting 3 million seats across regional airports, citing rising costs and a lack of government response to its investment proposals.
Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, said further reductions could follow unless authorities reverse recent increases in airport charges.
O’Leary said the low-cost airline still hopes to restore the withdrawn aircraft and routes if Aena and the Spanish government “reconsider” their fee policies. Ryanair has removed capacity from several regional airports following a 6.5 percent rise in Aena’s tariffs, which contrasts with cuts implemented in countries such as Italy, Slovakia, Croatia, and Morocco.
CEO Criticizes Aena’s Pricing and Government Inaction
“I hope there are no more cuts, because I expect Aena and the government to rethink and start reducing costs at regional airports. If they do, we can bring those aircraft back and more,” said Michael O’Leary, Chief Executive Officer of Ryanair. He added that the airline’s recent adjustments were intended to make Spanish authorities “reflect” on their approach to regional air connectivity.
O’Leary criticized Aena for operating as a “large government monopoly” and accused the Spanish administration of ignoring Ryanair’s written proposals. “When we met with President Pedro Sánchez and Transport Minister Óscar Puente in January 2024, they promised to grow regional airports. Two years later, we still haven’t received a response,” he said.
According to the Ryanair chief, the company has submitted plans to expand regional operations by 40 percent, but the only government action has been to raise airport charges. “The only reaction we get is that the monopoly raises fees by another 6.5 percent, while other countries lower them. It’s not that we don’t like Spain. We’re opening a maintenance center in Madrid and another in Seville, investing €50–60 million in facilities, training centers, and offices,” O’Leary said.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary poses at a company event promoting the airline’s low-cost model. Photo Credit: katatonia82 / Shutterstock.comCapacity Cuts Follow Rising Fees
Ryanair’s latest capacity reduction is its third in Spain in less than two years. The cuts total about 3 million seats, mainly affecting smaller and regional airports that the airline says are already underused. O’Leary noted that the changes are part of an effort to redirect aircraft to markets offering more competitive conditions.
The airline currently bases 107 aircraft in Spain and continues to expand its maintenance and training footprint in the country despite its dispute with Aena. Before Christmas, Ryanair plans to open a new pilot and crew training center in central Madrid, reinforcing its long-term commitment to the market. However, O’Leary warned that continued cost increases could shift future growth toward other European countries.
“It’s very difficult to negotiate when you send a proposal and get no answer, or when the only response is, ‘No, we’re going to raise costs by 6.5 percent next year,’” he said. “While Aena increases tariffs, Italy reduces them. That makes it easier for us to move traffic to regional Italy. So Italy wins and regional Spain loses, simply because its government doesn’t act.”
Concerns Over Aena’s Investment Strategy
Ryanair has also questioned Aena’s €13 billion investment plan, asking for clarification on which airports would benefit. “We’ve asked Aena to detail how and where they will spend that money. They told us nothing,” said O’Leary. “It looks invented. We believe most of it will go to Latin America, buying airports in Central and South America. Spanish consumers will end up paying higher fees to finance it.”
He argued that many Spanish regional airports, such as Jerez, A Coruña, and Santiago, are operating at only 25 percent of their capacity and should reduce charges to attract more traffic. “Aena doesn’t need to spend money on those airports; they already have runways and terminals. Maybe Madrid needs more capacity, and that’s fine, but then raise tariffs there and in Barcelona, not in half-empty regional airports,” O’Leary said.
European and Regulatory Context
The Ryanair executive also addressed his recent meeting with European Commissioner for Transport Apostolos Tzitzikostas, where discussions focused on air traffic control reform and environmental taxes rather than the dispute with Spain. “Our biggest problem with the European Commission is that it must protect overflights during French air traffic control strikes. When the French go on strike, they protect French flights, but cancel Spanish, Irish, and Portuguese ones,” O’Leary explained.
He confirmed that the European Commission has opened infringement proceedings against Spain over penalties imposed on low-cost airlines charging for hand luggage, saying it reflected a clear breach of EU law. “It’s a big step for Brussels to act against a major EU country. The Spanish law has to be manifestly incorrect, and the problem is that it is,” he said.
Despite current tensions, O’Leary reiterated Ryanair’s long-term interest in Spain. The airline remains one of the country’s largest carriers and continues to invest in operations, maintenance, and training infrastructure. However, he warned that without policy changes from Aena and the government, Spain’s regional airports risk losing further traffic to neighboring markets that offer lower operating costs.
“We want to continue growing here,” O’Leary said. “But Aena and the government must change their policy and start supporting regional airports if they want tourism and employment to grow.”