Spain watchdog warns airlines over €20 flights as rail crisis continues

Imagine needing to travel from Sevilla to Madrid for work, a hospital appointment or an important family commitment, only to discover that your usual high-speed train is no longer an option. With rail services disrupted, passengers are being forced to find alternative ways to make the journey, and the cost of getting there is becoming an increasingly pressing concern.

Now Spain’s consumer watchdog has warned airlines that they could be breaking emergency transport rules if passengers cannot find flights for around €20.

Rubén Sánchez, spokesman for consumer association FACUA, has challenged airlines to make cheaper fares available, warning that a failure to do so could breach the new restrictions introduced following the deadly railway disaster in Urda, Toledo.

Speaking to El Correo de Andalucía on Wednesday, November 4, Sánchez said: “If tomorrow there are no Andalucía-Madrid flights for €20, the airlines will be breaching the decree-law.”

What are the new flight price rules?

The government approved Royal Decree-Law 32/2026 on November 3, introducing temporary price restrictions on alternative transport while the Madrid-Andalucía high-speed railway remains interrupted.

Under the legislation, maximum fares are generally linked to the highest prices actually charged during the 30 calendar days before the emergency began. Where that maximum was more than 50 per cent above the average fare during the same period, the reference becomes the average plus 50 per cent.

For services affected by significant seasonal variations, prices from the equivalent period in the previous year, adjusted for inflation, can be used as the reference.

The measures are intended to prevent transport companies from exploiting exceptional demand to increase prices while passengers have fewer travel options.

Why is FACUA demanding €20 flights?

FACUA has called on the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030 to monitor transport operators and investigate possible breaches.

In its statement published on November 4, the organisation highlighted the cheapest fares available on Sevilla-Madrid flights during November 2025, which it says were approximately €15 to €42. Standard one-way tickets during that period ranged from around €50 to €85.

Sánchez argues that the emergency measures should ensure passengers continue to have access to comparable cheaper fares, rather than simply preventing the most expensive tickets from becoming even dearer.

However, the €20 figure is his interpretation of what airlines should make available, not a fixed price explicitly imposed on every flight by the government.

FACUA wants authorities to request information from airlines about their pricing policies and investigate companies suspected of charging above the permitted limits. It is also calling for sanctions where breaches are established.

Passengers face rising travel costs

The disruption is creating difficulties for people who depend on the Madrid-Andalucía connection for work, family visits and essential appointments.

With high-speed trains suspended, passengers have had to consider flights, buses and shared car journeys, often with little notice.

The pressure is also being reflected in alternative travel costs. Figures reported by The Spanish Eye show that the average price of a shared car journey between Madrid and Sevilla reached €41 in recent days, compared with an October average of €30. Some passengers reportedly paid more than €50.

Airlines have responded by increasing capacity. Iberia and Iberia Express announced 98 additional flights, providing 20,718 extra seats through November 8. The group also introduced maximum one-way fares of €99 in economy and €149 in business class during the period.

However, FACUA says more needs to be done to ensure affordable tickets are genuinely available. It has also urged the authorities to examine car rental prices and consider whether further action is necessary.

The association says passengers who believe they have been charged above the permitted limits can contact FACUA for advice on making a complaint.

For Andalucía residents who regularly travel to Madrid, the disruption is about more than an inconvenient change of transport. It can mean rearranging work, postponing appointments or spending significantly more to reach loved ones.

With the railway connection still affected, pressure is mounting on authorities and transport companies to ensure that alternative journeys remain within reach of ordinary passengers.