Ryanair’s CEO has said that the Irish low-cost airline could cease all operations in Zaragoza if Spanish airport operator Aena maintains its higher fees, confirming already announced flight cuts to the northeastern city.
Budget airline Ryanair confirmed this week that it will be cutting 1.2 million seats at Spanish airports starting from June, significantly affecting the northeastern city Zaragoza.
Beginning this summer, Ryanair will reduce its weekly flights from the Aragonese capital to London and Milan from four to three.
The move will mean a 41 percent reduction in flights from Zaragoza.
Ryanair’s CEO Eddie Wilson also announced that ticket prices will rise for the summer season due to the increase in fuel prices caused by the war in Middle East.
The airline had already threatened to cut these seats back in October 2025 if Spanish airport operator Aena did not reduce its fees and it has already slashed flights from Zaragoza to Paris (France), Fez (Morocco), and Santiago de Compostela.
In total, the Irish carrier announced it would cancel 36 direct connections to regional airports in mainland Spain and the Canary Islands.
In Aragón, Ryanair’s decision to reduce its presence ended negotiations between the regional government and the low-cost giant to establish a permanent base there.
Wilson explained the company’s plans for the Aragonese capital in an interview with local newspaper Heraldo, saying that two years ago they offered Spain’s airport management company Aena the opportunity to strengthen their presence in Spain’s fourth most populous city.
They wanted to establish a base in the city half way between Madrid and Barcelona, but the “stupid government handed the keys to Aena,” Ryanair’s CEO complained.
“If Aena’s rates don’t change, Ryanair won’t grow in Zaragoza; it’s likely to make more cuts and could even leave.”
Currently, Ryanair has only maintained its routes from Zaragoza to Bergamo (Italy), Brussels (Belgium), Marrakech (Morocco), and Palma de Mallorca, but if disputes continue, the airline may decide to cut more seats.
There are, however, other airlines that still fly from Zaragoza to Rome, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Bucharest and Menorca.
According to Wilson, Ryanair has already cut around three million seats at smaller airports in Spain since the summer of 2024 due to ongoing disputes with Aena over its increased airport fees.
For their part, the Spanish government believes that Ryanair is employing a form of “blackmail” and has pointed out that the fee increase, which amounts to €0.68 per passenger, is much lower than the average 21 percent increase in Ryanair ticket prices in 2025.
Last year Ryanair completely cut routes to the northern region of Asturias, announced the closure of its Santiago de Compostela base and the cancellation of flights to Vigo (both airports in the Galicia region) as well as cutting all flights to Tenerife North, and a reduction in capacity to Santander.
