The airline is expected to announce the changes next week.
The airline is poised to slash the number of seats to Spanish airports (Image: Sjo via Getty Images.)
Budget airline Ryanair is set to announce they will cut almost one million seats at Spanish airports as a response to planned increased charges. Airport operator Aena recently announced they are to hike airport charges.
It is expected the low-cost carrier will make the announcement on Wednesday (September 3), according to Spanish media outlet Europa Press. It is thought they will look to focus their aircraft and capacity to more competitive European markets like Croatia, Hungary and Sweden.
The airline’s chief executive Eddie Wilson said: “We are going to invest where we can get a return.”
And he said the decision to axe Spanish seats was a response to ‘indifference’ from Spain’s government.
Ryanair want to see a reform of the management of Aena. It is 51 per cent state-controlled. They say it would improve the competitiveness of regional airports which they claim are already “almost 70% empty due to a failed tariff structure”.
And they have been fiercely critical of Aena’s plan to hike fees by 6.5% by 2026, to 11.03 euros per passenger. It said that decision was “unjustified and damaging”.
Aena charges airline fees for using its airports and services. This includes charges for the use of their terminals, runways and baggage handling.
And the expected hike in fees would also see passengers having to pay more to absorb the extra cost.
Spanish newspaper El Pais said that the rise would add around 59p per passenger and described it as the biggest hike in years.
Ryanair is expected to confirm the airports affected by their withdrawal and the precise number of seats at a press conference, the Manchester Evening News.
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.
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.
Wilson said the cuts could result in regions in Spain which will receive “fewer passengers, fewer jobs, fewer connections, and fewer opportunities for tourism”.
Currently Ryanair offer a wide range of flights to several Spanish destinations such as Alicante, Malaga, Seville and Madrid.
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.
Aena accused Ryanair of trying to get free access to its airports, reports the Daily Mail.
It’s president said: ‘Unfortunately, this is Ryanair’s modus operandi. In many countries, we have seen it for years: threats, half-truths, lies.”