The move is in response to the recent increase in airport taxes, explained Michael O’Leary, everyone’s favourite Irishman.
The main airports affected are Madrid and Barcelona, who have both hiked up their landing fees by about 50%.
Ryanair says that this has made these routes unviable for the airline, adding that they previously carried about 2,3 million people a year on these routes. Ryanair estimates that around 2,000 jobs in the tourism sector will be lost in Madrid and Barcelona by the reduction of these routes.
It’s a favourite tactic by the bullying airline, who enjoys abusing its market share to force lower rates which it then doesn’t pass on to its customers.