Aena refutes Ryanair’s claims on Spanish airport operations

Aena has firmly responded to Ryanair’s recent announcement about adjustments to its operations in Spain, dismissing the airline’s arguments as misleading and baseless.

Aena clarified that the average airport service fee in Spain will remain frozen at €10.35 per passenger, among the lowest in Europe. Despite this rate, Ryanair grew its operations at Spanish airports by 8.7% in 2024, transporting 66 million passengers.

According to Aena’s data, Ryanair’s planned seat capacity for the 2025 summer season will surpass that of 2024, indicating growth rather than contraction. The airline continues to benefit from incentives at regional airports, reducing fees to as low as €2 per passenger, while fees at larger tourist airports remain higher.

Aena also highlighted that Ryanair’s repeated public complaints about airport charges could potentially violate Spanish law and be viewed as illegal state aid under EU regulations.

The organisation criticised Ryanair for using “spurious arguments” to confuse the public and pressure government institutions, reaffirming the transparency and competitiveness of Spain’s airport charges.