Ryanair increased its market share in the Spanish airline market by 7.8% during the first quarter of 2025, with 13.3 million passengers transported in comparison to the same period last year. According to the most recent data published by Aena, the Irish airline has achieved a market share of 21%.

After expanding by 2.4%, Vueling has reached the second position with just over 10 million passengers. It was followed by Iberia, which transported 5.3 million passengers, a 2.3% increase, and Air Europa, which experienced a 2.7% decline, with just over 4 million in passengers.

Additionally, EasyJet experienced a 0.5% decrease in passenger volume, reaching 3.1 million. It was succeeded by Binter (2.4 million), Jet2.com (2.1 million), Air Nostrum (1.8 million), Eurowings (1.6 million), and Iberia Express (2.9 million).

Despite the ongoing dispute with Aena and the government regarding the absence of incentives at regional airports and the escalating cost of airport fees, Ryanair’s leadership remains in position. The company has discontinued operations in Valladolid and Jerez as of March 28th and has eliminated up to twelve routes. This signifies the elimination of 800,000 seats at regional airports in Spain this summer (Ryanair eliminates 800,000 seats).

The airline anticipates that its expansion will be sustained by the expansion of its capacity at major airports, despite the 18% decrease in its secondary airport offerings. The regional reduction will be compensated by a 2% to 3% increase in operations in Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante, and Malaga, which will result in 1.5 million additional seats.

Aena is explicitly blamed by the airline for the lack of economic incentives at smaller airports and the increase in airport taxes, which the airline used to justify this decision. In the interim, the airline’s manager has refuted these allegations, which has exacerbated the exchange of accusations, particularly between the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Pablo Bustinduy, and the CEO of the low-cost company, Michael O’Leary.

A Romanian man in his sixties was tried yesterday, Monday May 5th, by the Alicante Court on two separate charges. The charges stemmed from his involvement in an organised group that aimed to force women into prostitution through an enslavement system. The court imposed a six-year ban from Spain on the man.

The Prosecutor’s Office conjectured that the defendant was accountable for the recruitment and transportation of the victims, the majority of whom were minors and originated from Romania. Once they arrived in the province of Alicante, the defendant directed them to various regions within the province or the country for prostitution.

After his defence reached an agreement in accordance with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the accused admitted the facts during the two proceedings scheduled for this Monday before the same court as the Second Section.

The agreement has resulted in a reduction of the total sentences from 26 years and three months for the first trial and 58 for the second to a total of 26 years: 5 years and 8 months for the first case and an additional 21 for the second. This reduction was achieved by applying both the mitigating circumstance of acknowledgement of the facts and the highly qualified one of undue delays, as determined by the defence attorney, Roberto Sánchez, given that the events in both proceedings occurred over 20 years ago, between 2001 and 2004.

Nevertheless, the sentence, which has been rendered definitive after being administered in person, consists of a maximum of six years of expulsion from the national territory, contingent upon the parties’ agreement. The accused’s dangerousness and the delays, as well as the fact that he had already served nearly four years in pretrial detention in Spain, have been considered.

The defence attorney has stated that the expulsion sentence in Romania, the defendant’s country of origin, will be effective immediately. The defendant had previously served time for homicide in Romania.

The first case results in his conviction for one count of criminal association, which carries a sentence of one year in prison. They also find him guilty of two counts of adult prostitution, each carrying a one-year prison sentence. Additionally, he is sentenced to eight months in prison for receiving stolen goods. Finally, he is found guilty of one count of conspiracy to murder for allegedly running a criminal organisation that specialised in violent crimes at Fontcalent Prison, which carries a sentence of one year and nine months.

The prosecution alleges that the man, who was in possession of a cell phone, directed several members of the gang to murder two individuals with whom the criminal organisation had unresolved business. Nevertheless, the Civil Guard successfully averted the executions.

Additionally, in the second case, he is found guilty of eight offences of prostitution for minors, each of which is punishable by two years in prison; four offences related to prostitution for adults, each of which is punishable by one year in prison; and a continuing offence of falsifying official documents, for which he is sentenced to an additional year in prison.

National Police officers in Alicante have apprehended four adults and eight juveniles on suspicion of causing a riot and causing injuries. Four Spaniards, three minors, and eight Algerians, five of whom are minors, are among those apprehended. A katana (a Japanese sword characterised by a curved, single-edged blade) was confiscated during the police intervention, and one of the detainees attempted to conceal it from the officers.

The incident took place on Sunday, May 4th, at approximately 8:15 p.m. in a location near Boulevard del Pla in the city of Alicante. Four of the apprehended individuals sustained injuries that required medical attention.

The disturbance was characterised by the use of blunt objects, such as katana-style swords and pepper spray, as reported by the officers. Numerous contacts to the 091 call centre from residents of the “northern” region of Alicante informed the police of the events.

The National Police deployed extensively in response to the severity of the incident. Upon their arrival, the officers observed a significant number of individuals disputing among themselves. Upon recognising the officers’ presence, they attempted to escape. Nevertheless, the police had already cordoned off the area to prevent escapes, thereby neutralising and regulating the situation.

Other participants in the same conflict who attempted to conceal themselves among passersby have been located with the assistance of witnesses. Public assistance led to the discovery of pepper spray in the possession of one of the young men.

The aforementioned katana-style weapon, which one of the alleged participants in the riot had allegedly attempted to conceal in some hedges, was also recovered as a result of witness statements. He returned to the site and hid it under a car, where a patrol found it.

The National Police notified the Alicante Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office that they had apprehended juveniles during the aforementioned riot.