The ongoing tax dispute between Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair and Spanish airport operator Aena has escalated. On September 3, 2025, Ryanair announced the cancellation of 36 routes across Spain, accusing Aena of imposing “excessive charges” and slamming its “shameless” decision to raise airport fees by 6.6% starting in 2026.
The cuts will significantly affect regional airports:
From January 1, 2026, Ryanair will completely stop flights at Tenerife North and Vigo airports.
Routes at Jerez de la Frontera and Valladolid, already suspended earlier this year, will remain closed.
The airline will also shut down its Santiago de Compostela base, eliminating 80% of flights there.
Additional reductions will hit Zaragoza, Santander, Asturias, and Vitoria.
This will reduce regional airport capacity on mainland Spain by 41% (600,000 seats) during the winter season and by 10% (400,000 seats) in the Canary Islands.
Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson, speaking at a press conference in Madrid, said Aena had “let Spanish regions down,” noting that some airports operate with nearly 70% unused capacity.
However, Ryanair confirmed that the freed-up capacity will be redeployed to “more efficient airports eager to grow traffic,” including those in Italy, Morocco, Croatia, Sweden, and Hungary. At the same time, Ryanair plans to boost flights from major Spanish holiday airports such as Palma, Málaga, and Alicante-Elche.
