Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has openly criticised the Portuguese government’s approach to managing Lisbon Airport, arguing that political priorities are limiting the capital’s aviation growth. Speaking in Lisbon, O’Leary said the airport could already be handling far more passengers if authorities chose to expand terminal capacity rather than restrict operations. He claimed Lisbon could reach around 35 million passengers without any new runway development, insisting the main obstacle is not infrastructure but policy decisions. According to him, the existing runway is underused compared with other major European hubs, where higher passenger volumes are managed efficiently. O’Leary argued that reluctance to expand facilities is linked to efforts to protect the national carrier TAP, which he said continues to influence decisions on capacity and competition. He added that only once TAP is fully privatised will there be meaningful room for growth at Lisbon Airport.
The airline executive also criticised delays surrounding alternative airport solutions, particularly the Montijo project, which he described as unnecessarily stalled. He said a second airport would be considered a major advantage in most European capitals, especially one located so close to the city centre. O’Leary argued that developing Montijo would require limited investment compared with large-scale new airports elsewhere, pointing to existing transport links and the nearVasco da Gama Bridge as factors that could support rapid access to Lisbon. In his view, increasing capacity at Montijo could be achieved quickly through administrative approval rather than lengthy construction processes. He described the prolonged debate over the site as damaging for tourism and economic growth, suggesting Portugal is losing opportunities failing to act decisively on aviation infrastructure that could relieve pressure on the main airport.
O’Leary also warned about the economic impact of European aviation environmental taxes on routes serving Portugal’s outer regions, particularly the Azores. He said current emissions charges make flights to the islands increasingly unviable for families and leisure travellers, while routes to destinations outside the European Union face no such costs. According to his remarks, a family travelling from Lisbon to the Azores can pay close to one hundred euros in emissions-related charges alone, a burden he believes threatens long-term connectivity. He argued that continued application of these taxes could severely damage tourism and regional economies, calling for exemptions for peripheral areas such as the Azores and Madeira. O’Leary concluded that environmental policy should balance sustainability goals with the need to maintain affordable air links for island communities.
