The Irish airline Ryanair has made headlines recently with its announcement regarding a significant reduction in its operations in Spain for the upcoming winter season. This decision will see the company eliminate over a million seats in regional airports and cancel 36 direct routes , marking a new chapter in its ongoing conflict with AENA, the Spanish airport operator, over airport fees.
The toughest blow. At the forefront of these changes is the closure of Ryanair’s operations base in Santiago de Compostela. This base, which maintained two aircraft, will be completely shuttered, and flights to Vigo will be suspended starting January 2026 . Furthermore, flights to Tenerife Norte will cease this winter with the bases in Valladolid and Jerez remaining closed, similar to their status during the summer.
<img alt="Ryanair baggage policy changes impacting employees" width="375" height="142" src="https://i.blogs.es/8f70b2/maletas/375_142.jpeg"/>Impact on numbers. The repercussions of Ryanair’s decision are substantial, projecting a loss of 1.25 million annual seats in Galicia alone. Across the Iberian Peninsula, the airline will reduce its capacity in regional airports by 41% , translating to 600,000 fewer seats , while in the Canary Islands, this reduction stands at 10% (approximately 400,000 fewer seats). The closure of the base in Santiago will also result in the loss of more than 100 jobs , affecting both pilots and cabin crew, although Ryanair has committed to offering transfers to other bases for its employees.
Other airports in the spotlight. The cuts will also adversely affect several airports including Zaragoza with a 45% capacity reduction, Santander at 38% , Asturias down by 16% , and Vitoria slightly reduced by 2% . In total, 36 direct connections with regional and Canary destinations will be canceled, with flights being redirected instead to Italy, Morocco, Croatia, and Albania .
The official justification. Eddie Wilson , the CEO of Ryanair, attributed these drastic measures to a 6.62% increase in airport fees that AENA is set to implement next year. According to Wilson, “We cannot justify a continuous investment in airports whose growth is blocked by excessive and uncommunicative rates.” He quantified the lost investment in Galicia at around 200 million dollars .
Aena’s answer. AENA responded firmly, accusing Ryanair of hypocrisy and bad faith . Maurici Lucena , the president of AENA, stated that Spanish rates are “the most competitive in the European landscape” and criticized what he described as “a disturbing plutocratic conception” held by the Irish airline.
<img alt="Valladolid airport cafeteria struggles due to Ryanair's decisions" width="375" height="142" src="https://i.blogs.es/94a1df/valladolid-cafeteria/375_142.jpeg"/>Beyond rates. While the focus has primarily been on airport fees, tensions between Ryanair and the Spanish government encompass additional issues, including an imposed fine of 109 million euros aimed at the airline for its hand luggage policies , a ruling that is currently suspended by the courts.
Galicia takes the worst part. Specifically regarding the city of Vigo, the stoppage of operations follows the expiration of a tourism promotion agreement worth 1.8 million euros with the local City Council, which has unfortunately not been renewed. The Xunta de Galicia has already announced intentions to call for an urgent meeting of the Airport Coordination Committee, advocating for a reassessment of AENA’s policies towards medium and small airports.
Cover image | Wolfgang Weiser
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