Ryanair issues statement as it axes thousands of flights from major city | World | News
Ryanair has confirmed it will close its Berlin base (Image: Getty)
Ryanair has confirmed it will close its Berlin base and axe thousands of flights from the German capital. The airline said it intends to shut its seven-aircraft base at Berlin Airport on October 24, 2026, cutting the number of flights it operates to and from the city by 50% in its winter schedule.
Ryanair said all seven Berlin-based aircraft will be reallocated to lower-cost airports in other EU states, including Sweden, Slovakia, Albania and Italy, which have abolished aviation taxes. The airline blamed rising costs at Berlin Airport and across Germany for the decision.
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According to Ryanair, Berlin Airport’s fees have increased by 50% since Covid (Image: Getty)
According to Ryanair, Berlin Airport’s fees have increased by 50% since Covid and are due to rise by a further 10% between 2027 and 2029.
The airline also said Berlin’s traffic has fallen from 36 million passengers in 2019 to 26 million in 2025.
Ryanair said Germany’s aviation tax has more than doubled since 2019 from €7.30 to €15.50 per passenger.
It added that German security fees have doubled from €10 in 2024 to €20 per passenger by January 2028, while German air traffic control fees have trebled from €1 to €3.30 per passenger.
The airline said the base closure would result in the loss of more than two million Ryanair seats per year and that its Berlin traffic will fall by 50% from 4.5 million passengers to 2.2 million in 2027. Ryanair added it will continue to serve Berlin but with aircraft based outside Germany.
Ryanair said all seven Berlin-based aircraft will be reallocated to lower-cost airports in other EU (Image: Getty)
Ryanair DAC CEO Eddie Wilson said: “We regret to announce this planned closure of our seven aircraft Berlin base from 24 Oct 2026, but we have no alternative following the Airport’s latest 10% fee increase to its already high airport fees.
“This comes on top of the 50% increase in Berlin’s airport fees since 2019. Despite Berlin Airport losing 30% of its pre-Covid traffic thanks to its excessive airport charges, and Germany’s stupid aviation tax regime, they have now decided to increase charges by a further 10%, which will result in the loss of more than 2m Ryanair seats p.a. and seven based aircraft.
“Ryanair will still serve Berlin but on a/c based outside Germany and our Berlin traffic will fall by 50% from 4.5m to 2.2m pax in 2027.
“German aviation is broken. The Govt. admits that it is uncompetitive, yet there is no strategy to cut aviation taxes or high airport fees – despite Ryanair warning that Germany would lose traffic, connectivity, jobs and trade. Since 2019, Ryanair has been forced to close its bases in Frankfurt, Dusseldorf and Stuttgart (resulting in the loss of 13 based aircraft) in addition to stopping all flights to Dresden, Leipzig and Dortmund.
The base closure could result in the loss of more than two million Ryanair seats per year (Image: Getty)
“Today Ryanair announces the planned closure of our seven aircraft base in Berlin with further cuts across Germany now inevitable. These cuts in high tax, high cost Germany come at a time when Ryanair is growing traffic across Europe by almost 70m passengers p.a. (from 149m in 2019 to 216m in 2026) since Covid, but our Berlin traffic will now collapse by at least 50% in 2027 as a result of Germany’s harmful aviation tax and Berlin airport’s high and rising fees.
“Efficient operations and competitive airport fees are the foundation which enable Ryanair to deliver long-term traffic growth and increased connectivity for airports and regions. This is impossible at Berlin following the German Govt’s failure to abolish its harmful aviation tax and Berlin Airport’s decision to again increase its already high airport fees.
“Ryanair has many other lower cost airports, and zero aviation tax countries across Europe competing for scarce capacity growth, all of whom are taking action to reduce access costs by abolishing aviation taxes, lowering airport charges and reducing ATC fees.
“With no meaningful cost reform in Berlin or in Germany nationally, we have no alternative but to switch aircraft from Germany to other more competitive markets elsewhere in Europe while Germany and Berlin Airport continue to fail.”
“The airline said Berlin-based pilots and cabin crew have been notified of the intended base closure, with staff consultations due to begin shortly. Ryanair added that affected crew can apply for alternative positions elsewhere in its European network as it reallocates aircraft to lower-cost markets.”
The Express has reached out to Berlin Airport for comment.
