Ryanair warns flight prices will go up if AENA increases airport fees

Ryanair has warned that flights to Spain, including the Canary Islands, could become far more expensive if Spanish airport operator AENA goes ahead with plans to increase airport charges for airlines next year.

In 2021, the Spanish Government ruled to impose a 5-year freeze on airport charges, which should last until 2027, but AENA is proposing to raise the fees paid by airlines for using its 46 airports by 4.09% from 1^st March 2024.

For this tariff increase to apply, it must now be approved by the Spanish Council of Ministers and the Spanish Regulator (CNMC), but Ryanair fears that if this does go ahead it will lead to an increase in the price of flights to Spain.

The Irish airline said it has lodged a formal appeal against what it described as “AENA’s attempts to circumvent the Spanish Government’s 2021 ruling to impose a 5-year charge freeze across Spanish airports.”

It claims the ruling contributed to post-Covid recovery and the growth of Spanish connectivity, tourism and employment, and are calling on the authorities to honour the 5-year charge freeze.

Ryanair’s CEO Eddie Wilson said on Friday: “AENA’s attempt to circumvent the 5-year charge is against government policy to support growth. The Spanish government took the sensible decision at the height of the pandemic to impose a charge freeze across all Spanish airports, positioning itself as one of the most competitive countries across Europe for attracting European short-haul flights, which have become increasingly scarce across Europe. As a direct result of this decision, Spain is now among the leading countries for post-Covid recovery and now has more capacity than it did in 2019”.

“This summer alone, Ryanair has grown its capacity in Spain by +12%, and this year will operate over 40 million seats to/from Spain across 740 routes benefiting the economy, its residents, and tourists”.

“If AENA are allowed to proceed with this increase, it will mean airport charges will go up at every airport in Spain, including in the Canaries and Balearics, where air connectivity is essential. In a single move, AENA is seeking to undo all the good work to date to recover vital air connectivity in what is the biggest threat to Spanish tourism since Covid.

“Ryanair calls on the Spanish Council of Ministers and the Spanish Regulator (CNMC) to protect passengers and local economies by ensuring AENA continues to respect the ruling made by the Spanish Government in 2021 to freeze airport charges until 2027.”

It comes as Aena has defended its plans, describing its tariffs as being “extraordinarily competitive” and much lower than those of comparable European airports. The group said it is proposing the increase due to inflation and “significant increases in costs beyond Aena’s control”.

A spokesperson told Travel Weekly: “AENA airport fees are not a relevant factor in the price of airline tickets. These registered strong increases in 2022 and 2023, of 15.2% and 42% respectively, compared to the aforementioned evolution of AENA’s rates (-3.17% in 2022 and frozen in 2023) and the proposed increase of 40 cents for 2024”.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, AENA deployed a series of commercial incentives to airlines to stimulate the recovery of traffic, which from July 2020 to March 2023 have meant discounts on airport charges of 125 million euros.”