Ryanair forced to scrap thousands of flights this summer
RYANAIR has confirmed that they are to cancel 800,000 seats across 12 routes this summer – affecting thousands of flights.
The budget airline said they would be reducing its capacity across a number of airports in Spain, due to ‘high airport fees’.
Depending on the aircraft, Ryanair flights carry around 228 passengers – meaning thousands of services in Spain will be scrapped.
These include both domestic Spanish routes and international flights with the airline.
Operations will be reduced at Vigo, Santiago de Compostela, Zaragoza, Santander and the airport of Asturias.
And the low-cost airline will scrap all of its flights in both Jerez and Valladolid.
The airline blamed “excessive fees” at airports in Spain for its reduction in services.
Airport fees in Spain, which are decided by state-owned Aena, have been frozen in the country since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The current fees are some of the lowest airport fees in Europe, averaging €10.35 (£8.74) per passenger.
However, Ryanair DAC CEO Eddie Wilson, said: “AENA’s excessive airport charges and lack of viable incentives for growth continue to harm Spain’s regional airports, limiting their growth and leaving huge areas of airport capacity unused.”
Last year, Ryanair increased its activity in Spain by roughly 8.7 per cent.
The budget airline said they would instead move some of the aircraft operating in Spain to other countries where “governments encourage growth” such ase Italy, Sweden, Croatia, Hungary and Morocco.
Sun Online Travel have contacted Ryanair to find out how many UK flights will be impacted.
Last year, the low-cost airline threatened to scrap flights from 10 airports in France in 2025.
In November, the airline’s commercial officer, Jason McGuinness, revealed the airline was reviewing its schedule in response to a proposed tax hike by the French government.
The news came after the French government announced it was considering a move to triple taxes on airline tickets and private jets.
At the time, Ryanair responded to the proposed measure.
McGuinness said the following in a statement: “Ryanair is now reviewing its French schedules and expects to cut capacity to/from regional French airports by up to 50 percent from January 2025 if the French government proceeds with its short-sighted plan to triple passenger taxes”.
Last year, Ryanair pulled its services from Bordeaux Airport in a separate dispute over airport fees.
The news comes after Ryanair boss, Michael O’Leary, warned hundreds of UK flights could be scrapped following the autumn budget.
In the budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced flights across the continent will now incur £15 of duty charges – increasing it by £2.
As a result of the rise in Air Passenger Duty (APD), holidaymakers planning on heading off to much-loved destinations could soon struggle to book Ryanair flights.
At the time, Ryanair boss Mr O’Leary said the airline would look to cut UK capacity by as much as 10 per cent next year.
This is the equivalent of a reduction of around five million passengers.
Advice for flying with Ryanair
- All Ryanair passengers can bring a small personal bag on board but this must fit under the seat in front of you, but it must be no bigger than 40cm x 20cm x 25cm
- Any over-sized cabin bags will be refused at the boarding gate and put in the hold for a fee
- Ryanair also charges passengers up to £55 check-in at the airport
- Anyone who loses their card at the airport will have to pay a £20 reissue fee
- Book to sit in the front five rows if you want to head off the plane first
- Extra legroom seats can be found in rows 1 A, B, C or 2 D, E, F as well as row 16 and 17 near the emergency exit
- The worst seat on Ryanair’s Boeing 737-800 aircraft is also 11A because of its lack of window.
Earlier this year, Ryanair launched its first-ever flights to Turkey.
Having previously operated routes to Turkey from Dublin and Bratislava, the airline will now operate from London Stansted.