The funds airline is making the cuts in response to “dangerous aviation tax”.
Ryanair is closing its seven plane Berlin base on October 24 (Picture: Getty)
Ryanair has confirmed it’s chopping the variety of flights it operates to and from Berlin after aviation tax “has greater than doubled”.
The funds airline introduced on Friday that it intends to shut its seven plane Berlin base on October 24, which is able to cut back flights to and from Berlin by 50% in its winter schedule. The seven Berlin based mostly plane will as an alternative be reallocated to decrease value airports in different EU states which have abolished aviation taxes, like Sweden, Slovakia, Albania and Italy. Ryanair stated the cuts come as a direct results of Berlin Airport’s current discover that it’ll once more elevate charges by one other 10% from 2027 to 2029.
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The airline stated Berlin Airport’s “already excessive” airport charges have gone up by 50% because the Covid outbreak, whilst its site visitors collapsed by 30% from 36 million in 2019 to 26 million in 2025.
Asserting the closure of the Berlin base on Friday (April 24), Ryanair DAC CEO Eddie Wilson stated: “We remorse to announce this deliberate closure of our 7 plane Berlin base from 24 Oct 2026, however we’ve got no various 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 site visitors due to its extreme airport expenses, and Germany’s silly aviation tax regime, they’ve now determined to extend expenses by an additional 10% which is able to consequence within the lack of greater than 2m Ryanair seats p.a. and seven based mostly plane. Ryanair will nonetheless serve Berlin however on a/c based mostly outdoors Germany and our Berlin site visitors will fall by 50% from 4.5m to 2.2m pax in 2027.”
Ryanair branded the price will increase as “unjustified and extreme”, saying Germany depends on excessive aviation taxes and airport prices “to fight hopeless inefficiency”.
Since 2019, Germany’s “dangerous aviation tax” has greater than doubled from €7.30 to €15.50 per passenger, German safety charges have doubled from €10 in 2024 to €20 per pax by Jan 2028, and German ATC charges have trebled from €1 to €3.30 per passenger, in accordance with the airline.
The excessive prices and up to date discover of an additional 10% enhance in airport charges due by 2029 implies that all Ryanair Berlin based mostly pilots and cabin crew have now “regrettably” been notified of the airline’s supposed base closure from October 24, 206.
Ryanair stated workers consultations will start shortly and all flight crew can safe various positions elsewhere in its community throughout Europe.
The airline additionally warned that additional cuts throughout Germany are “now inevitable”, saying it has “no various” however to modify to extra aggressive markets elsewhere in Europe.
Mr Wilson added: “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. At this time Ryanair broadcasts the deliberate closure of our 7 plane base in Berlin with additional cuts throughout Germany now inevitable.
“These cuts in excessive tax, excessive value Germany come at a time when Ryanair is rising site visitors throughout Europe by nearly 70m passengers p.a. (from 149m in 2019 to 216m in 2026) since Covid, however our Berlin site visitors will now collapse by at the least 50% in 2027 because of Germany’s dangerous aviation tax and Berlin airport’s excessive and rising charges.
“Environment friendly operations and aggressive airport charges are the inspiration which allow Ryanair to ship long-term site visitors progress and elevated connectivity for airports and areas. That is not possible at Berlin following the German Govt’s failure to abolish its dangerous aviation tax and Berlin Airport’s resolution to once more enhance its already excessive airport charges.
“Ryanair has many different decrease value airports, and 0 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 expenses and decreasing ATC charges.
“With no significant value reform in Berlin or in Germany nationally, we’ve got no various however to modify plane from Germany to different extra aggressive markets elsewhere in Europe whereas Germany and Berlin Airport proceed to fail.”
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