Hundreds of air routes cut to Spain
Today we see the first disheartening result of the government’s decision to increase airport taxes. Ryanair has cut 12 percent of its flights to and within Spain, and thus shelving thousands of jobs, travel opportunities and income.
Ryanair drops 648 routes per week, which corresponds to a decline in passenger numbers of 4.5 million and an expected loss of 4,500 jobs. Worst hit are the routes to Madrid and Barcelona, where taxes are doubled. The company’s vice president, Michael Cawley says that it is a direct result of taxes.
AENA causes losses in the millions
Ryanair removes 35 percent of its connections to Madrid, which is equivalent to 272 flights a week and a loss of 1,900 jobs. This results in a decline of 1.9 million passengers from 5.3 million to 3.4. The number of aircraft at the base in Madrid will be reduced from 14 to 10 In Barcelona, the number of connections reduced by 23 percent with a decrease of 170 weekly flights and a loss of 1,200 jobs.
Cawley said at a press conference yesterday that increases in airport charges means an amount that is four times higher than the average in the other 170 airports used by that company. Converted amounts to an additional cost of up to 80 million per year.
The extensive cuts mean a loss for the Spanish airport creature, AENA, EUR 25 million annually.
Impossible to make money
Ryanair’s vice president says directly that AENA has refused to listen to its main customer, and the cuts are implemented, unless the increase in airport charges will be taken off the table. Airport charges represent the company says 40 percent of the ticket’s price – the same as fuel costs.
– We can not run double the costs in Spain, because it means that there is no surplus, says Cawley.
Ryanair criticized the Spanish government’s “expansive and proportionate expansion of the country’s airports” saying they have been completely unnecessary.
Outside Spain Ryanair plans to return to increase the number of flights by four percent in 2013, with an expected increase to 79 million passengers and a profit of between 490 and 520 million euros.
The practical implications
The settlement of the Spanish routes are from 30 March 2013, and comes in very concrete terms to mean the following:
Barajas in Madrid
• 4 fewer planes less (14 to 10)
• 13 canceled routes
• 22 routes with fewer weekly flights
• 272 fewer weekly flights
• 1.9 million fewer passengers lost (5.3 to 3.4 million)
• 1,900 fewer jobs
El Prat in Barcelona
• 1 aircraft taken out (13 to 12)
• 4 routes canceled
• 20 routes with fewer weekly flights
• 170 fewer weekly flights
• 1.2 million fewer passengers (5400000-4200000)
• 1,200 fewer jobs
The cuts will also frame flights to Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. There will also cut down on the relations between Norway, Sweden and Spain.
The routes affected are as follows:
Ryanair, the only airline “ultra low cost” of Europe, today confirmed severe cuts in flights to airports in Madrid and Barcelona for the summer of 2013, and in other operations performed in Spain. This is in response to a rates increase by the Spanish government.
The Ryanair cuts are an inevitable response to the Spanish government that has doubled the airport charges at the airports of Madrid and Barcelona. This excessive increase in rates is particularly detrimental for Spanish tourism, employment and economy, at a time when the Spanish unemployment situation sees a staggering 50%.
You can see the routes affected HERE on the Ryanair website
Elle, along with Alan, is the owner of Spain Buddy and the busy web design business – Spain Web Design by Gandy-Draper.
Born a “Norverner”, she then spent most of her life “Dann Saff” before moving to Spain in 2006. Elle’s loves are Alan, the internet, dogs, good food, and dry white wine – although not necessarily in that order.
