Ryanair is one of the main airlines operating flights subject to the residents' discount. | Photo: Archive
MDB DigitalPalma21/10/2026 08:29
The High Court in Madrid has ordered the Spanish government to pay interest on late payments to Ryanair due to delays in the disbursement of subsidies for the residents' discount in the Balearic and Canary Islands.
The ruling, as reported by the website Tourinews, affirms the airline's right to collect this interest in relation to a total settlement of 6.02 million euros, which the government ultimately paid during the course of the legal proceedings. Of this amount, 2.75 million euros related to flights in the Balearic Islands, and 3.26 million euros to the Canary Islands.
While the ruling acknowledges the right to collect interest, it does not specify a final amount. The airline had estimated this interest at 245,076.99 euros; however, this remains subject to a potential appeal to the Supreme Court.
The late payments relate to the settlement for July 2024, which Ryanair submitted in June 2025. After receiving corrections from the Civil Aviation Authority, final certification was provided in September last year. However, the payment was not issued until after amendment to the Air Navigation Law, which enabled the disbursement of the 6.02 million euros that had been outstanding.
The ruling also addresses another claim filed by Ryanair regarding payment delays for settlements from April and May 2024, for which the airline sought 17,066.03 euros in interest. In this case, the High Court has ruled in favour of the government and has dismissed the claim.
While the court acknowledges that the three-month payment period began when the airline submitted its final tax settlements, interest could only be claimed in writing once that period had elapsed. Ryanair did not request such interest until December 2024, by which time the principal amounts had already been paid in October.