Michael O'Leary believes the government is "artificially" hindering the expansion of Portela airport to protect TAP, arguing that Lisbon could immediately increase its capacity without new infrastructure.

"Lisbon could easily grow to 35 million passengers today, simply by increasing the terminal capacity," said Michael O'Leary at a press conference in Lisbon.

According to him, the constraint is not on the runway, but on political decisions. "We have a runway in Lisbon, and they say it's full with 25 million passengers. There's a runway at Gatwick, and yet there are 65 million passengers and confusion. So, it's not a runway issue. It would be easy to increase the size of Terminal 2 at Portela," he said.

Michael O’Leary stated that the government is “obsessed with protecting and caring for TAP,” adding that only after the airline’s privatisation will it be possible to free up capacity.

“When TAP is sold, then it can increase the capacity of the Lisbon terminal and allow us to have more flights,” he said.

The Ryanair CEO also defended the expansion of Terminal 2 and the opening of Montijo, describing the process as a prolonged blockage.

“Montijo is a national disgrace,” he stated, emphasising that “all other European capitals would kill to have a second airport like that in the middle of the city.”

“Yes, a terminal needs to be built, but that’s quite cheap. And there’s the bridge on the right that leads directly to the centre of Lisbon,” he pointed out, referring to the Vasco da Gama Bridge.
“Capacity in Montijo can be increased with the stroke of a pen,” he emphasised.

At the same press conference, the official also warned about the impact of European environmental taxation on air links to the Azores, considering that the routes have become economically unviable.

“A family of four living in Lisbon who want to spend a weekend in the Azores pays 96 euros in ETS [EU Emissions Trading System] taxes,” he said, adding that flights to destinations outside the European Union, such as Morocco, are exempt.

“It could simply kill the Azores,” he stated, advocating for the abolition of environmental taxation for peripheral regions.
“I think the Azores will only see a return if environmental taxation is abolished, particularly for peripheral islands like the Azores and Madeira,” he concluded.

At the same conference, the official strongly criticised the European Union and its aviation environmental taxation policy, calling the system unfair and penalising for European passengers.