Ryanair stops flights to two Spanish destinations in blow for sunseekers
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Ryanair has announced that ir is cutting two routes, reducing capacity on 12 routes and getting rid of 800,000 seats for its Spanish Summer season 2025. The budget airline has decided to close its Jerez and Valladolid operations, remove one aircraft based at Santiago equal to $100 million (£82.1 million) investment and will cut traffic at five other regional airports – Vigo, Santiago, Zaragoza, Asturias and Santander, for Summer 2025.
The decision will be a blow to those with plans to visit the Andalusian city Jerez and Valladolid in Castile. It comes amid a row between Ryanair and Aena, which operates 48 airports in Spain. Ryanair claims that - despite the Spanish Government's ruling in 2021 that charges should be frozen at Aena airports until 2026 - Aena has tried to increase charges to airlines yearly, and most acutely at Spanish regional airports where traffic remains below pre-Covid levels.
Ryanair’s CEO, Eddie Wilson, said: “Aena’s excessive airport charges and lack of workable growth incentives continue to undermine Spain’s regional airports, limiting their growth and leaving vast swathes of airport’s capacity underutilised.".
Mr Wilson claimed that Ryanair- had increased capacity to boost connectivity, tourism and employment following the Spanish Government's drive for post-Covid recovery. "Yet, Aena persists with unjustified charge hikes and refuses to implement effective incentive schemes to support Spain’s regional growth, instead prioritising foreign investments in airports across the Caribbean, UK, and the Americas," he explained.
