Ryanair Demands That Spain’s PM Sanchez Scraps Airport Charges in Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca and Says It Wants to Resume Flights As Soon As Possible

LOW COST carrier Ryanair has demanded that Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, scraps airport charges in the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca areas.

The Irish company has also said that they “want to resume flights as soon as possible,” once travel restrictions have been lifted.

Ryanair is annoyed that they are having to pay parking fees for their stranded planes across the Spanish airport network operated by state-owner Aena.

That includes the key travel hubs at Malaga and Alicante-Elche.

Ryanair’s argument is that their planes cannot go anywhere else, and though Aena has given them a six-month interest free delay on paying the fees, the company says the charge doesn’t make any sense.

Ryanair’s Eddie Wilson said: “It’s unjustified as our aircraft are immobilised and parked at airports due to the Spanish government’s travel restrictions.”

Wilson added that he fully supported the Madrid government’s measures to fight the coronavirus, but said that Aena-operated airports “should not be allowed to make any benefit out of the crisis at the expense of airlines that are in a difficult due to travel restrictions.”

He also pointed out that most EU airports had waived fees, and added that if Aena didn’t then it “would be up to Pedro Sanchez and the government to do so.”

On a more positive note, Eddie Wilson said that Ryanair was “very proud” to operate at 26 Spanish airports and that it hoped to resume services, as soon as travel restrictions are lifted.