hangar

The airline opens in Madrid-Barajas its largest hangar in Europebut he has also taken advantage of the showcase to send a warning to the Government: if airport taxes continue to rise, growth in Spain will continue to fall. The crossing with Aena is still validand the airline seems to have its priorities very clear. new hangar. This week Ryanair opened the doors of its new maintenance center in Madrid-Barajas. With 22,000 square meters and capacity for seven aircraft, it is the largest hangar in its entire European network, an investment of 25 million euros that, according to The company will generate 700 qualified jobs among engineers, mechanics and technical personnel. The space, previously operated by Iberia, brings the total number of Ryanair maintenance lines at the airport itself to eight. The underlying message. The company has also taken advantage of the inauguration to launch a new offensive against the current airport policy. Its CEO, Eddie Wilson, warned that Ryanair’s ability to continue investing and growing in Spain “has practically hit its ceiling”, attributing this to the deterioration of the country’s competitiveness. The event was attended by the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, who thanked the airline for its commitment to the capital and was in favor of reducing burdens on the operator. Growth. According to Wilson, this summer the airline will barely grow 0.5% in Spain, compared to 11% in Morocco or 9% in Italy, markets that it considers direct competitors of Spanish tourism. Furthermore, the company has already cut three million jobs in two years in the country. For Wilson, the question is simple: “Why invest in additional capacity if prices are going up and you can invest in other places where they are going down?” shared The Spanish. The target of criticism: Aena. The low cost has been in tension with the airport manager for months. Ryanair reproaches that Aena’s last rate increase, 6.5%, already had effects on traffic at regional airportsand warns that the proposal to increase rates by an additional 21% (plus inflation) in the next five years could compromise the competitiveness of the entire network. Wilson pointed out He also stated at the inauguration that large airports such as Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Malaga and Alicante are going to be expanded “at an exorbitant cost” to, in his opinion, justify these increases, when the growth in traffic could be absorbed without the need for new infrastructure or increased rates. However, Wilson himself recognized to El Español that with Aena “they work well operationally.” Pressure. The inauguration of the hangar comes at a time of strong tension between Ryanair and the Spanish administrations on several fronts. The most recent confrontation is the fine of 107 million euros imposed by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs for the collection of hand luggagewhich the airline considers illegal and has taken to the European Commission. In this context, Wilson’s speech also works as a pressure lever: the airline remembers its weight (62 million annual passengers, 109 aircraft in 11 bases, a total declared investment of 11,000 million euros in Spain) to demand more favorable conditions. What can happen now. If Aena rates continue to rise, Ryanair has few incentives to grow at regional airports and has hinted that cuts could also come this winter at some large airfields. The opening of the Barajas hangar, and the Seville maintenance centershows that the airline has no intention of leaving Spain, but that it is reorienting where and how much it grows. Cover image | Markus Winkler In Xataka | Global air traffic has a problem: Ukraine and Iran have created a funnel that is driving up prices