Ryanair announces 18% service reduction in Spain for summer 2025 due to 'excessive' Aena fees
Ryanair announced (16-Jan-2025) plans to implement further traffic reductions in Spain, removing 800,000 seats and 12 routes due to "excessive fees" and the "ineffectiveness" of incentive plans offered by Aena. The reductions amount to 18% of the carrier's operation in Spain during summer 2025 and include the cancellation of all operations at Jerez and Valladolid. The LCC also plans to remove one aircraft based in Santiago and reduce traffic at Vigo (-61%), Santiago (-28%), Zaragoza (-20%), Asturias (-11%) and Santander (-5%). Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson stated: "Following the Spanish Government's commitment to boost Spain's post-COVID recovery, Ryanair responded by increasing capacity to boost connectivity, tourism and employment. However, Aena persists with unjustified charge increases and refuses to implement effective incentive systems to support Spain's regional growth, prioritising foreign investment in airports in the Caribbean, the UK and America". [more - original PR - Spanish]
Background ✨
Ryanair's ongoing tension with Aena stems from a history of conflicts over increased airport charges, which the airline argues are excessive and unjustified. In 2021, the Spanish Government froze fees at Aena airports until 2026, but Ryanair criticised Aena for annually seeking fee hikes1. Ryanair has formally appealed against these increases, as it has not opened new bases in Spain since 2016 due to what it perceives as uncompetitive pricing by Aena2.