Europe’s largest low-cost carrier Ryanair continues to scale back its operations in regional Spain amid an escalating dispute with local authorities over airport taxes and fees.

According to a company statement, Ryanair will remove 1.2 million seats — roughly 10% — from its 2026 summer schedule across Spanish regional airports. The airline will also terminate all flights to and from Asturias Airport, which serves the cities of Gijón and Oviedo.

The carrier is simultaneously cutting capacity at Tallinn Airport in Estonia by 40%, resulting in the loss of approximately 110,000 seats and five international routes: Milan Bergamo, Paphos, Rome Ciampino, Venice Treviso, and Vienna. This follows an earlier 45% capacity reduction in Tallinn’s 2025 summer schedule, equivalent to 230,000 fewer seats.

Ryanair has also abandoned plans to expand in Lithuania, citing rising airport access fees and unfavorable cost conditions.

The dispute between Ryanair and Spain’s state-owned airport operator AENA dates back to the pre-pandemic period. While the conflict was temporarily suspended when Spain postponed fee increases during the COVID-19 crisis, tensions resurfaced after AENA implemented higher airport charges in 2025.

In response, Ryanair began a wave of route cuts to Spanish regional airports, initially reducing its 2025 summer capacity and later trimming its 2025–2026 winter schedule. The airline’s management has indicated that these cuts will continue unless airport fee policies change.