Ryanair is making drastic cuts to its flights Madrid and Barcelona services this winter in response to the rising airport departure taxes which have been implemented at both Madrid and Barcelona El Prat airports.

The service cuts, which include fifteen cancelled routes, amounting to nearly 500 weekly flights, will take effect from November.

The cuts, which Ryanair claims are the unavoidable response to the Spanish Govt’s doubling of airport taxes at both Madrid and Barcelona El Prat airports will affect 2,300 local jobs in total.
 
Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said: “Ryanair objects to the Spanish Govt’s decision to double airport taxes at both Madrid and Barcelona airports. Sadly, this will lead to severe traffic, tourism and job cuts at both airports this winter.

“ Ryanair’s cuts alone will cause a combined loss of 2.3m passengers and over 2,000 jobs at Madrid and Barcelona El Prat airports to other lower cost airports elsewhere in Europe, where Ryanair continues to grow. These route and traffic cuts can be reversed but only when the Spanish Govt and its airports monopoly AENA reverse these tax increases and cuts its high airport charges”.