Irish low-cost airline Ryanair is set to embark on a significant expansion plan in Spain, aiming to establish five new bases and achieve a 40% growth in the country by 2030, according to Eddie Wilson, the CEO of Ryanair DAC, the group’s largest airline. Speaking at a tourism event in Madrid on Monday, Wilson outlined the group’s goal to boost passenger traffic to Spain from the projected 55 million in 2024 to 77 million by 2030. However, he emphasized the importance of Spain maintaining competitive airport charges to support this growth.
Addressing recent tariff increases by airport operator Aena, Transport Minister Oscar Puente noted a 4.09% hike starting March, asserting that, even with this increase, rates would remain below pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Wilson expressed Ryanair’s decision to invest in Spain due to the assurance of no charge increases until 2026-2027. He also called for a reversal of the 4% charge and advocated for incentivizing regions in Spain to attract tourists throughout the year, beyond traditional beach destinations.
Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, had previously met with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on January 12, pledging a substantial investment of 5 billion euros ($5.44 billion) in Spain over the next seven years, recognizing Spain as one of the world’s premier tourist destinations.
