Ryanair pulls out of Berlin in latest blow to German aviation

Ryanair will close its base at Berlin Brandenburg Airport on 24 October, the fourth such withdrawal by Europe's largest low-cost carrier in Germany since 2019, as escalating taxes and airport charges drive capacity towards lower-cost EU member states.

The Irish airline confirmed last week that all seven Boeing 737s currently stationed in the German capital will be redeployed to bases in Sweden, Italy, Albania and Slovakia, countries that have recently abolished or reduced aviation taxes. Around 200 pilots and cabin crew have been notified, with staff consultations to begin shortly and relocation offered. Ryanair's winter schedule will halve flights to and from Berlin, cutting annual passenger volumes at the airport from 4.5m to about 2.2m.

The decision underscores the growing competitiveness gap between Germany and the rest of the bloc. Berlin's federal aviation tax has more than doubled since 2019 to €15.50 per passenger, security fees are set to rise from €10 to €20 by January 2028, air traffic control charges have trebled to €3.30 per passenger, and BER's airport fees, already up 50 per cent since 2019, are scheduled to climb a further 10 per cent between 2027 and 2029.

"German aviation is broken," said Eddie Wilson, chief executive of Ryanair DAC, at a press conference in Berlin. "The government admits that it is uncompetitive, yet there is no strategy to cut aviation taxes or high airport fees." Ryanair now operates 20 fewer aircraft in Germany than it did in 2019, having previously closed bases in Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Stuttgart.

BER's chief executive Aletta von Massenbach expressed surprise, denying that some of the fee increases cited by Ryanair are currently planned. The Berlin Chamber of Commerce and Industry called the move a serious blow to the capital, while the Verdi union criticised the airline's handling of consultations.