Ryanair is threatening to cut another million seats in Spain by summer next year as the low cost airline takes on Spanish airports.

RYANAIR warns that it will remove an additional one million seats on flights to Spain next Summer if the country’s airport operator doesn’t back down from higher fees.

In protest against a 6.5% increase in Aena’s fees, the Irish carrier has already canceled two million seats over the summer and winter.

Michael O’Leary, the chief executive of the airline, told the Financial Times that he would return to Madrid within two weeks and will “probably announce another million seats for next summer”.

READ MORE Ryanair threatens ‘tourism disaster’ for Spain as it directs two million seats to rival holiday destinations

O’Leary: “I will not fly in Spain if the cost is too high.” “If Aena cannot be persuaded by the Spanish government, I will fly elsewhere.” O’Leary said. [to back down]”If I don’t want to serve you, then why should I?”

The airline has confirmed that it will no longer operate winter flights from Santiago de Compostela to Vigo, Valladolid and Jerez. 

O’Leary said that half a million of the seats pulled from regional airports had already been redirected to Málaga and Palma, with others shifted to Italy.

READ MORE Vueling fills Ryanair’s shoes by offering 1.5 million seats at Spain’s airports

Aena, which is majority state-owned and also controls London Luton, insists the increase amounts to just €0.68 per passenger. 

Its chairman Maurici Lucena accused Ryanair “extortion”, and called the airline “impertinent”, arguing it had applied for more flights while announcing cutbacks.

Aena’s support for Ryanair has been welcomed by Spain’s Transport Minister, who called the tactics of Ryanair “blackmail”. 

READ MORE After a bitter battle with Spain’s Airports, Ryanair has made some welcome changes to the size of carry-on luggage.

The European Commission was also criticized by the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Pablo Bustinduy, after it announced that Transport Commissioner Apostolos tzitzikostas will meet O’Leary on January 28th in Brussels.

Spain was Ryanair’s second largest market, after Italy. It accounted for 18% of its revenue in 2013. O’Leary, however, said he was willing to cut capacity further if the charges remain the same.

“It’s madness that a country as big as Spain has one big monopoly,” said he.

Click here for more Spain News by The Olive Press.

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