The airline blamed rising prices on the airport and within the nation for the choice.
Ryanair has confirmed it’s going to shut its Berlin base (Picture: Getty)
Ryanair has confirmed it’s going to shut its Berlin base and axe hundreds of flights from the German capital. The airline mentioned it intends to close its seven-aircraft base at Berlin Airport on October 24, 2026, reducing the variety of flights it operates to and from the town by 50% in its winter schedule.
Ryanair mentioned all seven Berlin-based plane shall be reallocated to lower-cost airports in different EU states, together with Sweden, Slovakia, Albania and Italy, which have abolished aviation taxes. The airline blamed rising prices at Berlin Airport and throughout Germany for the choice.
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Based on Ryanair, Berlin Airport’s charges have elevated by 50% since Covid (Picture: Getty)
Based on Ryanair, Berlin Airport’s charges have elevated by 50% since Covid and are attributable to rise by an additional 10% between 2027 and 2029.
The airline additionally mentioned Berlin’s visitors has fallen from 36 million passengers in 2019 to 26 million in 2025.
Ryanair mentioned Germany’s aviation tax has greater than doubled since 2019 from €7.30 to €15.50 per passenger.
It added that German safety charges have doubled from €10 in 2024 to €20 per passenger by January 2028, whereas German air visitors management charges have trebled from €1 to €3.30 per passenger.
The airline mentioned the bottom closure would end result within the lack of greater than two million Ryanair seats per 12 months and that its Berlin visitors will fall by 50% from 4.5 million passengers to 2.2 million in 2027. Ryanair added it’s going to proceed to serve Berlin however with plane based mostly outdoors Germany.
Ryanair mentioned all seven Berlin-based plane shall be reallocated to lower-cost airports in different EU (Picture: Getty)
Ryanair DAC CEO Eddie Wilson mentioned: “We remorse to announce this deliberate closure of our seven plane Berlin base from 24 Oct 2026, however now we have no different following the Airport’s newest 10% price enhance to its already excessive airport charges.
“This comes on prime of the 50% enhance in Berlin’s airport charges since 2019. Regardless of Berlin Airport shedding 30% of its pre-Covid visitors because of its extreme airport costs, and Germany’s silly aviation tax regime, they’ve now determined to extend costs by an additional 10%, which can end result within the lack of greater than 2m Ryanair seats p.a. and 7 based mostly plane.
“Ryanair will nonetheless serve Berlin however on a/c based mostly outdoors Germany and our Berlin visitors will fall by 50% from 4.5m to 2.2m pax in 2027.
“German aviation is damaged. The Govt. admits that it’s uncompetitive, but there is no such thing as a technique to chop aviation taxes or excessive airport charges – regardless of Ryanair warning that Germany would lose visitors, connectivity, jobs and commerce. Since 2019, Ryanair has been pressured to shut its bases in Frankfurt, Dusseldorf and Stuttgart (ensuing within the lack of 13 based mostly plane) along with stopping all flights to Dresden, Leipzig and Dortmund.
The bottom closure may end result within the lack of greater than two million Ryanair seats per 12 months (Picture: Getty)
“At the moment Ryanair declares the deliberate closure of our seven plane base in Berlin with additional cuts throughout Germany now inevitable. These cuts in excessive tax, excessive price Germany come at a time when Ryanair is rising visitors throughout Europe by virtually 70m passengers p.a. (from 149m in 2019 to 216m in 2026) since Covid, however our Berlin visitors will now collapse by no less than 50% in 2027 on account of Germany’s dangerous aviation tax and Berlin airport’s excessive and rising charges.
“Environment friendly operations and aggressive airport charges are the muse which allow Ryanair to ship long-term visitors progress and elevated connectivity for airports and areas. That is unattainable at Berlin following the German Govt’s failure to abolish its dangerous aviation tax and Berlin Airport’s choice to once more enhance its already excessive airport charges.
“Ryanair has many different decrease price airports, and nil aviation tax nations throughout Europe competing for scarce capability progress, all of whom are taking motion to cut back entry prices by abolishing aviation taxes, decreasing airport costs and lowering ATC charges.
“With no significant price reform in Berlin or in Germany nationally, now we have no different however to change plane from Germany to different extra aggressive markets elsewhere in Europe whereas Germany and Berlin Airport proceed to fail.”
“The airline mentioned Berlin-based pilots and cabin crew have been notified of the supposed base closure, with workers consultations attributable to start shortly. Ryanair added that affected crew can apply for different positions elsewhere in its European community because it reallocates plane to lower-cost markets.”
The Specific has reached out to Berlin Airport for remark.
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