Listen to O´Leary

CUT airport taxes, break up the state airport monopoly and the Spanish tourist industry would be in a better condition. These are the words of the Chief Executive of Ryanair, Michael O´Leary who was in Palma this week to announce that he would be basing four aircraft on the island and creating hundreds of new jobs. Like him or loathe him, O´Leary´s record speaks for itself, he has created one of the world´s most successful airlines.

Ryanair is now the biggest airline in Spain and its latest expansion plan will mean that it will continue to grow. Now, O´Leary may put on a Santa hat and be rather undiplomatic about his rivals, but he is no fool. He has written to the Spanish government asking them for a reduction in airport taxes and he believes that tourism is one of the ways to tackle Spain´s five million record jobless rate. He is right and perhaps the Spanish government should start listening. There is little money available for new Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to tackle the enormous rate of unemployment. Tourism could be the way forward. By cutting airport taxes there will be more flights especially during the winter. The fact that there are so few flights during the low season is not helped by the fact that Spanish landing fees are some of the highest in the European Union. My advice to Prime Minister Rajoy and Balearic President Jose Ramon Bauza, listen to O´Leary, he has sone helpful tips which could get Spain moving again.