The manager of practically all Spanish airports, Aena, has responded to the criticism launched by Ryanair under which it has justified a cut in routes and the withdrawal of aircraft from several medium-sized facilities in the country such as Jerez, Valladolid or Vigo, in favor of large aerodromes. The semi-public listed company has defended that Its rates are “among the lowest in Europe”which will remain frozen in 2025 and which have allowed the Irish airline to increase its number of passengers transported by 8.7% in the last year.
The company chaired by Maurici Lucena assures that in the regional airports where Ryanair is going to withdraw flights and planes “there are commercial incentives available to all airlines that allow airport rates to drop to around 2 euros per passenger”, compared to to the 10.35 euros that will be paid this year.
He describes the claims of the Irish company as “constant demands” and “devoid of any courtesy”, and criticizes it for using “spurious arguments” and that “they do not correspond to the reality of airport fees in Spain, to confuse citizens and shamelessly put pressure on national and regional public institutions.
Furthermore, the airport manager explains that any reduction in the rate “could be illegal” by violating Law 18/2014, and could be considered as state aid by the European Union. Regarding the arguments presented by Eddie Wilson, CEO of the company, Aena assures that these are “a mimetic replica of the commercial, communication and business policy that it is carrying out in all European countries.”
Ryanair will pay more taxes
Aena proposed to raise its airport taxes by 0.5% by 2025, but the CNMC finally annulled it. “With the same average fare, Ryanair increased its activity in 2024 at Spanish airports by 8.7%, so the airline transported 66 million passengers,” it explains in a press release.
He also remembers that the flight schedule communicated by the airline for the period between April and September will be higher than last summer: “According to the data available today and taking into account the figures that the airline has offered, its schedule for the season of 2025 in Spanish airports implies more seats available than in the same season of the previous summer, therefore, its total programming in Spain will grow compared to 2024”.
Precisely, the growth targeted by Ryanair will occur in the largest airports (Madrid, Malaga and Alicante, among others), and these will be where it will have to face the most costs as they are traditionally tourist airports: “the rate to be paid will be substantially higher than at regional airports,” they comment.
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