Earlier this year, Ryanair warned that it is considering cutting more flights from medium and small Spanish airports next winter and in 2026 if operator Aena does not lower its fees, newspaper El Economista reported citing the Irish airline’s CEO Eddie Wilson. Regional airports “need low fees to stimulate growth”, Wilson told El Economista in an interview, “otherwise the formula will not work”, he said, adding that the company would not invest in loss-making operations.
The largest European airline in terms of passenger numbers said in January that it would reduce flights at seven regional airports in Spain this summer and cancel some 800,000 passenger seats compared to the previous year. However, it added 1.5 million seats at popular larger airports such as Madrid, Malaga and Alicante, according to El Economista.
Aena has hit back at the airline, accusing it of ‘blackmail’ and suggesting that Ryanair is using its weight to try and get airport access for free. "Unfortunately, this is Ryanair's modus operandi,” says Maurici Lucena, President of Aena. “In many European countries, we have seen it for years: threats, half-truths, lies...; but in the case of Spain, I honestly believe that today they have crossed the Rubicon of respect, good faith and the most basic business and institutional courtesy.”
And to make matters worse, Aena has announced that it is finalising its proposed fare review for 2026, with a 6.5% increase, the largest since Law 18/2014 came into force in 2015, freezing prices. This adjustment would translate into an increase of 68 cents per passenger and would raise the Adjusted Maximum Revenue per Passenger (IMAAJ) to 11.03 euros, compared to the current 10.35 euros.
In 2024, Aena already applied a 4.09% increase to offset energy cost overruns resulting from the war in Ukraine, with a two-year delay in passing them on to tariffs. However, the CNMC forced the operator to freeze fees in 2025, despite the initial proposal for a 0.54% increase.
With a forecast of 320 million passengers for 2025 - and a growing trend in 2026 - the fare increase could mean additional revenue of €218 million for Aena’s regulated activity, which in 2024 reached a turnover of €3.19 billion (out of a total of €5.827 billion).