Low-cost carrier Ryanair, Spain’s largest airline by passenger numbers, unveiled a 3.4-million-seat winter programme out of Madrid-Barajas—an increase of 6 % (about 200,000 seats) over last year despite soaring jet-fuel costs. The schedule, announced on 29 September, features four new destinations: Tirana (Albania), Gdańsk and Wrocław (Poland) and Düsseldorf-Weeze (Germany), alongside frequency boosts on 19 existing routes including Porto, Budapest and Rome. Fourteen aircraft will be based in Madrid this winter, representing a capital commitment of roughly US$1.4 billion, according to the airline. Ryanair says the expansion supports 5,600 local jobs and underscores its intention to concentrate growth at Barajas while scaling back at smaller Spanish airports where it deems AENA’s fees uncompetitive. For corporate-mobility planners the added capacity offers welcome competition on several secondary city-pairs popular with near-shoring tech and manufacturing firms. Fares on the new Wrocław and Tirana routes start at €19.99 for bookings made before 2 October, though analysts expect average yields to rise if fuel prices remain above US$110 per barrel. Ryanair’s move also anticipates possible capacity constraints next summer when the EU’s ReFuelEU sustainable-aviation-fuel quotas come into force, potentially hitting airlines with higher operating costs. By locking in additional slots now, the carrier gains leverage in ongoing talks with AENA over 2027-2031 fee caps, which the government currently plans to lift by just three cents per passenger. Travel managers should review approved-carrier lists and negotiate corporate bundles before the new services mature, as Ryanair typically reviews frequency allocations at the end of each season based on load factors.
Source: Cinco Días
