Overview

• Michael O’Leary told the Financial Times he could announce the additional cut in two weeks unless Aena reverses a planned 6.5% tariff rise, which equates to about €0.68 per passenger from 2026.
• Ryanair has already removed roughly 2 million seats for 2025, including 800,000 this summer and 1 million this winter, and is closing its Santiago base while pulling services at Vigo and Tenerife Norte.
• EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas met O’Leary on Friday and will receive Bustinduy on Tuesday, as the Commission pursues a preliminary “structured dialogue” with Spain over €179 million in baggage-fee sanctions on low-cost carriers.
• Spanish officials and Aena reject Ryanair’s demands, calling them blackmail, and argue the fee increase is modest compared with Ryanair’s reported 21% rise in ticket prices over the past year.
• Rivals are moving to fill gaps this winter, with Vueling, Iberia Express and Binter adding about 434,000 seats and other carriers such as Volotea and Wizz Air signaling interest in taking more capacity.