Ryanair Pulls Planes from Berlin, Blames Germany's Rising Aviation Taxes

Ryanair is closing its Berlin operating base and halving its winter flight schedule to the German capital, citing a sharp increase in the country's aviation taxes. The Irish low-cost carrier announced it will move seven aircraft to other locations, cutting annual passenger traffic in Berlin from 4.5 million to 2.2 million. Starting in October, flights to and from Berlin will be operated by planes based elsewhere. Staff at the Berlin facility are being offered transfers to other European bases.

Eddie Wilson, CEO of Ryanair's main operating company, said: "German aviation is broken. The government admits it's uncompetitive, yet there's no plan to cut aviation taxes or high airport fees—despite our warnings that Germany would lose traffic, jobs, and trade." Since 2019, Ryanair has closed bases in Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, and Stuttgart, and stopped all flights to Dresden, Leipzig, and Dortmund, resulting in the loss of 13 aircraft from those cities.

The German union Verdi criticized the move as a "purely profit-driven strategy." Dennis Dacke, head of Verdi's aviation division, said employees have been treated like "disposable commodities" while the company prioritizes short-term profits.

The announcement comes amid industry turmoil from rising costs linked to the Gulf conflict. Jet fuel prices have more than doubled since late February. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has warned he may cancel up to 10% of late-summer flights if fuel shipping doesn't normalize soon.

Environmental advocates see an opening for rail. Analyst Jon Worth noted Berlin has direct trains to Amsterdam, Warsaw, Prague, Vienna, Berne, Stockholm, and Paris, with a new Copenhagen service starting this summer. While trains can be pricier and less reliable, he said, "there is an opportunity for the railway industry, if they are ready to seize it." Berlin airport declined to comment.