The budget airline is expected to announce the news next week
Ryanair aircraft. Photo by Colin Lane(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
Ryanair is poised to slash almost one million seats across Spanish airports following Aena’s recent announcement to hike airport charges. The low-cost airline is set to reveal this development next Wednesday, according to Spanish media outlet Europa Press.
Eddie Wilson, the airline’s chief executive, told the publication, “We are going to invest where we can get a return.” He further stated the move stemmed from the “indifference” of the Spanish government.
Ryanair is aiming to put pressure on Spain to reform the management of Aena, which is 51% state-controlled, and to improve the competitiveness of regional airports which, in its opinion, are already “almost 70% empty due to a failed tariff structure”.
Ryanair has criticised Aena’s plans to increase fees by 6.5% by 2026, to 11.03 euros per passenger. It said that decision was “unjustified and damaging”.
The airline will announce the affected airports and the exact number of seats at a press conference held in Madrid next week, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The budget airline is expected to announce the news next week(Image: PA)
Wilson previously warned that the cuts would be “quite severe” and “very drastic”. He explained that Aena’s prices were not competitive enough, unlike those elsewhere in Europe.
He said that the cuts could result in regions in Spain which will receive “fewer passengers, fewer jobs, fewer connections, and fewer opportunities for tourism”.
The Ryanair CEO warned that the airline would be forced to relocate aircraft and capacity to more competitive European markets such as Italy, Sweden, Croatia, Hungary, and Morocco.
The airline has already made reductions to other Spanish operations this summer. It ceased operations in Jerez and Valladolid, withdrew aircraft based in Santiago, and reduced traffic at five other regional airports: Vigo, Santiago, Zaragoza, Asturias and Santander.
Ryanair and Aena have been approached for comment.
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