Ryanair exit sparks alarm over Germany’s aviation costs

Germany’s airport association, ADV airports association, has voiced concern over a decision by Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair to scale back its operations at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), warning that the move reflects broader structural problems in the country’s aviation sector.

ADV chief executive Ralph Beisel said the airline’s decision should not be seen as targeting Berlin alone. “Following the Ryanair announcement, Germany is looking at BER airport, but it is in fact not a decision taken against Berlin, but against the German aviation sector as a whole,” he said, as per German media.

Ryanair, headquartered in Dublin, announced on Friday that it plans to halve its flights to and from BER by the winter season, shut down its base at the airport, and withdraw the seven aircraft currently stationed there. The airline attributed the move to a planned increase in airport charges, which it said would rise by an additional 10% between 2027 and 2029.

BER airport has rejected Ryanair’s claims, stating that discussions between the two sides over the charges are ongoing.

Beisel argued that the fundamental issue lies in the overall cost structure of aviation in Germany. “Excessive taxes and charges are preventing German airports from participating in the dynamic growth of European aviation,” he said.

He pointed to a range of cost factors, including aviation taxes, insurance fees, and airport charges. While airport fees themselves are below the European average, Beisel stressed that they represent only a small portion of the total cost burden.

To illustrate the disparity, ADV noted that a flight from Berlin to Palma de Mallorca costs airlines approximately €7,600 (about $8,900) in taxes and charges, compared with roughly €4,400 for a similar route from Warsaw to the same destination.

The gap is even more pronounced on long-haul routes. Flights from Germany to New York incur around €23,500 in taxes and fees, compared to an average of €13,900 at other European airports, according to the association.

ADV also highlighted that neighboring countries have recorded significantly stronger growth in passenger traffic over the past decade, underscoring concerns that Germany’s aviation sector is losing competitiveness.

By Tamilla Hasanova