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Low cost airline Ryanair has big plans for Spain, as long as the country’s airport operator Aena plays ball.

That appears to be the message articulated by the Dublin-based company´s top brass during recent visits to Spain.

When Ryanair group CEO Michael O’Leary met with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on 12 January, 2024, he talked of a future investment of five billion euros over the next seven years.

Next along came Eddie Wilson, CEO of the group’s largest airline Ryanair DAC, who said they wanted to grow in Spain by 40% by the end of the decade. He was speaking at a tourism event on 22 January, 2024, and told the media that they were looking to grow passenger traffic from 55 million to 77 million.

He also said for that to happen, the supportive infrastructure needed to offer competitive charges, which would not be the case if a planned 4.09% increase in tariffs by airport operator Aena took place in March.

Wilson made the point that Ryanair´s decision to invest had been made on the promise that such increases would be delayed until at least 2026. Wilson called for the increase in charges to be reversed and that tourism should be expanded into other regions throughout the country, not just near the beaches.

Government transport minister Oscar Puente has said that the rise would go ahead, which even then would still be below pre-pandemic levels.

Volt, the first pan-European party, believes Spain should lead the way against euroscepticism.

So says Clara Panella Gómez, a Volt candidate for the European Elections 2024.

Writing on the party’s website, she says that while Hungary continues to indulge in inflammatory messages against Brussels, Spain has become one of the most pro-European countries in the Union.

She believes this “…is good news for those supporting greater integration among Member States – especially during Spain’s presidency of the EU Council – and a fortunate coincidence that should not be wasted. Considering Spain’s significant political weight in the Union, it is their responsibility to develop measures to curb euroscepticism, a challenge that may not have been a priority for others but could have enormous consequences.”

She continues: “The priorities of the EU Council Presidency, presented by the government of Pedro Sánchez, focus on urgent challenges such as the energy crisis and the need for a fairer migration system that respects human rights. However, institutional reform is not among them. It might not be the most attention-grabbing topic, and it raises much suspicion among some Member States, particularly those from central and eastern Europe. Nevertheless, institutional reform holds the key to ending euroscepticism.”

In her eyes, reform of the EU is necessary. Such measures as giving the Parliament legislative initiative power, making the Commission more efficient and effective, creating more channels for citizen participation, starting with electoral law reform (already approved by the European Parliament), and abolishing the right to veto

However, the argument is not that there are enough such proposals, but the political will to see them through.

Gómez went on to say that while France and Germany have always led the European political agenda, Spain is perceived as a country that could have much more influence in the European Union than it currently does.

With its presidency of the EU Council, Spain has not only the opportunity but also the responsibility to lead this process by presenting a more ambitious agenda she maintains. It’s time to demonstrate a firm commitment to a more efficient, democratic, and transparent European Union. By doing so, Spain will not only defend the interests of its citizens, but also those of all Europeans.

Ryanair readies to climb in Spain

Volt charged up about euroscepticism