A million seats will be removed over the winterKaty Hallam Audience Editor, Milo Boyd, Pete Gavan Senior Editor and Neil Lancefield PA Transport Correspondent
08:02, 11 Sep 2025Updated 21:53, 11 Sep 2025
Ryanair is closing a Spanish base(Image: Sjo via Getty Images)
Ryanair is set to close its Santiago base and terminate all services to Vigo and Tenerife North, as the airline continues its extensive reduction of Spanish routes. The budget carrier announced at the end of August that it intended to significantly reduce capacity on Spanish services, removing a million seats during the upcoming winter period.
The airline has attributed these substantial reductions to Spanish airport operator Aena’s decision to increase passenger charges by 6.5% by 2026. This is despite the fact that European airlines pay no tax on aviation fuel – unlike almost every other form of transport – even though air travel is one of the most environmentally damaging forms of travel.
Some estimates suggest this tax exemption is worth £7.5 billion annually in the UK alone, according to the Mirror. During a press briefing, Ryanair executives provided further details about these plans.
The airline will shut down its Santiago operation and cease all services to Vigo and Tenerife North. At the same time, it will continue the closure of its Valladolid and Jerez operations while reducing capacity across Asturias, Santander, Zaragoza, and the Canary Islands throughout the winter months, reports Europa Press.
These reductions are part of Ryanair’s strategy to cut capacity by 41% across Spanish regions and 10% in the Canary Islands this winter, reports Nottinghamshire Live.
Eddie Wilson, Ryanair’s chief executive, cautioned that this would result in “a loss of investment, connectivity, tourism, and employment in regional Spain, as many routes will be economically unviable.”
All services to Vigo will cease in January next year, with flights to Tenerife North ending from the beginning of the Winter 2025 schedule.
Zaragoza will experience a capacity reduction of 45%, whilst Santander will witness cuts of 38%, Asturias 16% and Vitoria by 2%.
When these alterations come into force, Ryanair will have axed 36 routes to and from Spain.
By comparison, the low-cost carrier intends to introduce two million additional seats on flights to Italy, Morocco, Croatia and Albania.
Canarian Weekly reported that the announcement had “sparked concern”, but also noted the airline’s intention to “continue growth in major airports including Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, and those in the Balearics and Canary Islands.
“For residents and tourists in the Canary Islands, the immediate impact is less severe than in mainland Spain. Ryanair continues to grow at the main airports in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura,” the publication declared.
The Majorca Daily Bulletin likewise stressed Ryanair’s approach to “keep backing big hubs where demand is strong” including the Balearics.
The Irish operator recorded a 2% rise in passenger figures last month as it boosted its capacity. The Dublin-based airline revealed that it transported 21.0 million passengers in August, a rise from 20.5 million during the same month last year.
The load factor – the percentage of seats filled on flights – remained stable at 96%.
In the 12 months leading up to the end of August, the airline experienced a 6% increase in passenger numbers to 203.6 million. In contrast, Wizz Air reported carrying 6.9 million passengers last month, marking an 11% rise from 6.2 million in August 2024, with a load factor of 95%.