Last week, Ryanair revealed it will axe flights to 12 popular Spanish hotspots, including Jerez, Zaragoza and Santander, in a bid to reduce the tax and surcharges it pays for operating at airports across the continent.
While the airline has not announced any cancellations just yet, Ryanair’s chief executive Michael O’Leary, threatened to reduce flights to the country if the tax was increased.
The airline confirmed last month that it will remove one of its aircraft from Rome’s Fiumicino (the country’s largest airport) due to municipal surcharges in Italy’s main airports that start on April 1, 2025.
Changes to the low-cost Irish airline’s 2025 flight schedule will also impact destinations in Italy, Denmark and France, but Spain is the country hardest hit.
Ryanair’s CEO, Eddie Wilson, attributed the schedule changes to the Spanish state-controlled airport operator, Aena, which he claims has imposed ‘unjustified’ price hikes in airport charges.
