Ryanair and Aena remain locked in their war over airport charges. The Irish airline has harshly criticized the airport operator of various Spanish airports, including Alicante-Elche, in recent months for the increase “of more than 6%” in these charges, which Ryanair considers “excessive.”
Following the threat episode, the airline has closed bases at regional Spanish airports, leading to the cancellation of routes such as those between Santander and Santiago de Compostela and Alicante, and the elimination of two million seats so far in 2025, including both summer and winter schedules.
In this regard, and during the presentation of Ryanair’s 2025/26 winter schedule for Alicante-Elche Airport, the province’s tourism sector called for peace and negotiation between both parties.
This was conveyed by the president of the Valencian Community’s hotel association (Hosbec), Fede Fuster, to Ryanair’s spokesperson in Spain, Alejandra Ruiz, during the event held at ADDA recently. Fuster used her speech during the connectivity roundtable to call on the airline to resolve the conflict.
In this regard, Fuster has asked Aena and Ryanair to “sit down and negotiate the rates” and asserts that “it’s important to reduce tension, as we all have a lot at stake in this.” The Hosbec executive has called for negotiations and given his perspective on the conflict.
For Fuster, “there are places where taxes can be raised, but others cannot, because they are fuelled by tourism.” The president of the employers’ association stated that he understands that Aena is going to make a major investment in Spanish airports, but insists that “it must work hand in hand with the airlines and negotiate, since they cannot be raised everywhere.”
Regarding the airline’s response, Ruiz insisted that “with lower rates, we can generate much more growth” and emphasized that “the problem we have in Spain is the competitiveness of rates at regional airports where demand is lower.” In this regard, the representative of the Irish company gives an example: “Filling planes in Alicante is not the same as filling them in Valladolid or Jerez.”
Ruiz admits that the rates in Alicante “are fine,” but in other airports, such as regional airports, she describes them as excessive. “The rates have to be competitive. Our commitment is to continue making airports competitive and attracting tourism year-round, as is the case in Alicante,” the spokesperson admits.
Ruiz noted that Ryanair will grow in the coming years thanks to a significant aircraft order and assures that the airline will do so in destinations “where access costs are reduced, such as Morocco or Italy, where they are removing taxes and making them more competitive.” Along these lines, he admits that ” we will continue to grow in Spain, but at a more moderate pace in the larger airports.”