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Ryanair has issued a fresh warning that flights to and from Spain could become more expensive, as its dispute with airport operator Aena over proposed fee increases escalates.

 

The Irish airline says Aena’s plan to raise passenger charges by what it calculates as 21 per cent between 2027 and 2031 will inevitably push up ticket prices and lead to further cuts in regional routes. Chief executive Eddie Wilson said: “Next winter we will make further cuts to regional airport services and I remind you that our total traffic in Spain for this summer will only grow by 0.5 per cent compared to 9 per cent in Italy, 11 per cent in Morocco or 20 per cent in Poland.”

 

He described the proposal as “regrettable, but not surprising”, adding that Aena has a history of applying high charges “at the expense of traffic development, especially at Spain’s regional airports, which are 70 per cent empty.”

 

The warning follows Ryanair’s recent decision to scrap 1.2 million seats on Spanish routes this year in response to rising airport fees. The airline has already reduced capacity at a number of regional airports and previously confirmed it would cut its Summer 2026 schedule by 10 per cent, including halting flights to Asturias.

 

Aena, which operates 46 airports across Spain, has defended the increases. It says the average rise would amount to 43 cents per passenger per year, adjusted according to airport size, and insists charges would remain competitive in Europe. The additional revenue would help fund a €13 billion investment programme under the proposed Third Airport Regulation Document, covering 2027 to 2031. On Tuesday, at an extraordinary meeting, Aena’s Board approved the draft DORA plan(the five-year airport investment and fee framework).

 

However, opposition is growing. The Spanish Tourism Board has rejected the planned 3.8 per cent annual increase, warning it would directly raise air transport costs and damage Spain’s competitiveness. Its president, Juan Molas, said making Spain more expensive “will work against our country as a destination in the competitive global market.”

 

Airline groups including IATA and the Spanish Airline Association have also criticised the proposals as unrealistic, arguing that planned investments could be completed without raising fees and even suggesting a 4.9 per cent annual reduction instead.

 

Earlier this year, Ryanair had already signalled that higher operating costs could translate into higher fares, even as bookings and passenger targets were rising.

 

For British residents in Spain and regular holidaymakers alike, the message is clear. If airport charges rise, ticket prices may well follow.

 

 

Image: Markus Winkler/Unsplash