Holidaymakers and regional businesses in Spain are set to see fewer Ryanair flights this summer after the airline confirmed another major cut to its schedule.
Ryanair will remove 1.2 million seats from its summer flights in Spain. This brings the total reduction to almost 3 million seats over the past 18 months.
The airline says rising airport fees are the main reason. It believes charges set by airport operator Aena are too high for regional routes. Ryanair is not leaving Spain entirely. Instead, it is keeping and growing flights at the country’s biggest airports while cutting back in smaller cities.
At the same time, the airline is expanding in other markets. Ryanair says its capacity has grown by 11% in Morocco and 9% in Italy. The company sees these countries as cheaper to operate in and eager to grow tourism.
In Morocco, Ryanair has opened new bases and launched domestic routes. The expansion fits with the country’s plan to double tourist numbers by 2030. Analysts say the airline will likely keep moving aircraft away from Spain’s regional airports if fees stay high.
Ryanair says it could carry 77 million passengers in Spain by 2031 if airport charges fall and pricing rules become more flexible. The airline is asking for a review of Aena’s fees to avoid more cuts.
The loss of 3 million seats could hurt smaller Spanish cities that depend on low-cost flights. Regional airports often bring in international visitors, and fewer flights could mean fewer tourists and less business for local hotels and restaurants.
