Santander
I noticed that Ryanair currently has no bookable flights to or from Santander (SDR) for winter 2025/2026 from any of its bases. This is a significant shift given the airline’s historic presence there.
There’s some mention in the press of an ongoing dispute with Aena regarding airport charges, which reportedly led Ryanair to cut back operations at several Spanish airports. One source cited a 5% reduction at Santander specifically. But the fact that all routes appear to be removed for winter suggests something more drastic might be happening.
I’m not an expert in Ryanair’s usual playbook, but is this typical of how they negotiate with airport operators? Is this likely a temporary pressure tactic to get more favourable terms from Aena? Or are we now looking at a full-scale withdrawal from Santander?
Curious to hear what others think – anyone with past experience of Ryanair-Aena rows or similar pullbacks at other airports?