Ryanair explained its decision to close its base in Berlin and cut the number of flights in half by stating that Germany has become too expensive for budget airlines.
The budget airline from Ireland, Ryanair, is closing its base in Berlin, withdrawing all seven of its aircraft from Berlin Brandenburg Airport and reducing the number of flights to the German capital by 50%. As a result, the annual passenger traffic will drop from 4.5 million to 2.2 million people. The company announced this in a press release issued on Friday, April 24, writes DW.
According to the airline, the base will be closed on October 24, 2026, and the aircraft will be transferred "to cheaper airports in other EU countries that have canceled aviation taxes": Sweden, Slovakia, Albania, and Italy. This decision followed the announcement by Berlin Airport of a further 10% increase in fees from 2027 to 2029. "Despite already high airport fees increasing by 50% since the Covid pandemic, even though passenger traffic in Berlin has decreased by 30% from 36 million in 2019 to 26 million in 2025," Ryanair stated.
The airline accused German aviation policy of having "let down its citizens" by relying on high aviation taxes and airport fees. Since 2019, the aviation tax has increased from €7.30 to €15.50 per passenger; security fees have doubled from €10 in 2024 to €20 per passenger by 2028; and air traffic management fees have risen from €1 to €3.30 per passenger, as explained in the press release.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport, in turn, stated that such fee increases mentioned by Ryanair are not planned. According to the dpa agency, representatives of the airport called the decision unexpected and added that negotiations are currently ongoing between the parties.
