While many low-cost airlines began flying German tourists to popular vacation destinations across Europe, it is becoming increasingly expensive for many to fly in and out of Germany's many cities.
This month, Dublin-based low-cost airline Ryanair (RYAOF) announced a significant reduction in its flights to Germany by 2025. It will completely exit markets such as Dresden, Leipzig and Dortmund, while reducing its capacity from the northern metropolis of Hamburg by up to 60%.
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Ultimately, the problem comes down to the taxes and airport fees that airlines must pay at German airports compared to fees in other countries.
Ryanair CEO: 'Visitors now pay the highest flight prices in Europe'
“Because of these high state taxes and fees (the highest in Europe), as well as Lufthansa's high price monopoly (DLAKF) “German citizens and visitors now pay the highest flight prices in Europe,” Ryanair DAC CEO Eddie Wilson said in a statement about the cuts.
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As first reported by local outlet Deutsche Welle, the airline estimates it will fly to Germany with 1.8 million fewer seats, or a 12% reduction in total capacity. Even the capital Berlin will see a 20% reduction in flights by summer 2025.
Wilson continued to criticize Lufthansa and German authorities, who he said helped the country's flagship airline with a recovery plan but did nothing to also help international air travel to the country recover.
While the airport tax will vary depending on the specific city the airline flies to, it will typically range between €15 and €70 for German cities, a figure Wilson says is unsustainably high given that many travelers turn to Ryanair with expectations of bills. which cost less than €50 and in some cases as little as €19.99.
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'Increased taxes on air travel, security and airport fees'
“The refusal to promote growth at German airports is short-sighted because Ryanair is keen to expand significantly in Germany,” Wilson added. “But rising taxes on air travel, security and airport charges are causing these capabilities to move to other EU states.”
As a result, Ryanair will cut a total of 22 routes by 2025. While Ryanair indirectly accused Lufthansa of taking advantage of the situation to attract more travelers to both the main airline and low-cost subsidiary Eurowings, CEO Carsten Spohr also He told local media that the tax increase deters many from flying to Germany.
“More and more airlines are avoiding German airports or canceling important connections,” Spohr told local media outlet Bild Am Sonntag.
At the beginning of October, Eurowings also announced a series of cuts from Hamburg, reportedly due to the “sharp increase in localization costs.” A total of 1,000 flights that were available in 2024 will be canceled or moved to other German cities over the next year. Some connections, including the Hamburg-Köln flight, which many German travelers took as a connection to other destinations, are victims of the cut.
“Flying to and from Germany is increasingly expensive and unprofitable on many routes,” the company echoed in a separate statement about the cancellations.
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