Ryanair strokes flight connections: 750,000 places affected by BER
Ryanair strokes flight connections: 750,000 places affected by BER
The Irish airline Ryanair recently announced that it will drastically reduce its connections from Berlin-Brandenburg (BER) Airport. CEO Eddie Wilson commented on this during a press conference in Berlin and informed about the deletion of six destinations. This represents a significant change in the company's flight offer.
From now on, Ryanair will no longer operate six popular routes. This includes flights and from Brussels, Kaunas, Krakow, Luxembourg, Riga and the Greek holiday island Chania on Crete. This decision means that a total of around 750,000 seats are offered less and the number of stationed aircraft in Schönefeld is reduced from nine to seven. The exact deadline for when these changes will be effective has not yet been specified.
background of the decision
A central concern of Eddie Wilson is the rising air traffic tax, which has been in place for all international flights since May 1, 2024. The amount of the tax varies depending on the goal: it is between 15.53 and 70.83 euros per ticket, which is a significant increase compared to the previous tax rates. This measure promotes the financing of climate protection projects, but the aviation industry is concerned that these increased costs could mainly disadvantage German airports.
Wilson explains that Ryanair is forced to reduce capacity by 20 percent at a time when Berlin offers growth potential to reduce capacities due to these “horrendous flight costs”. Furthermore, he signaled that there is a probability that the airline could continue to shorten its offer from German airports by ten percent in the coming summer, which corresponds to 1.5 million seats, the federal government should not withdraw the increased taxes.
The announcement by Ryanair is part of a larger trend within the aviation industry, in which the airlines are increasingly increasing under pressure to reduce its costs in order to remain competitive. Ryanair not only calls for air traffic tax to withdraw the air traffic tax, but also a reduction in fees for air traffic control and a waiver of the planned increase in security fees for passengers. These measures could help airlines to be able to optimize their cost structure.
- Deletion of six connections: Brussels, Kaunas, Krakow, Luxembourg, Riga, Chania
- Reduction of aircraft in Schönefeld from nine to seven
- 750,000 less seats
- increase in air traffic tax between 15.53 and 70.83 euros per ticket
- Possible further reduction by 10% next summer
The effects on aviation and travel market
The announcement of Ryanair will not only have an impact on the company itself, but also on the passengers who may have to change their travel plans. For many travelers, this means less selection of travel destinations and possibly higher costs for the remaining connections. Some passengers could be forced to choose other airlines, while others have to change their travel destinations.
The aviation industry is in a upheaval, and these developments illustrate that airlines are faced with various challenges, especially in times of rising costs. The passengers are expected to adapt to these changes, and it will be exciting to observe how the competition between the airlines will develop.
In view of the current situation, it is clear that the economic framework for airlines and passengers are more demanding than ever. Ryanair has clearly presented his point of view and will continue to observe developments at a political and economic level in order to make new decisions.The air traffic market in Germany is a dynamic environment that is constantly changing. The reactions and adjustments that the airlines make could significantly shape the future landscape of travel. The striving for cost efficiency and the need to react to government measures will continue to be in the foreground, while the industry is trying to reconcile both the needs of travelers and their own economic goals.
economic effects on air traffic
The reduction of Ryanair's capacities in Berlin-Brandenburg has far-reaching economic implications. In the first place, the potential loss of jobs is both directly at the airline and indirectly among the partner companies that are dependent on Ryanair. The aviation industry contributes significantly to the economy, especially in tourist regions, where arrivals of international tourists are an important source of income.
A decline of 750,000 seats can also have negative effects on the local economy. Local hotels, restaurants and other services that benefit from travelers could be affected. The Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry already warned of the effects of rising costs on the tourism sector, since the prices for air travel, which are often a main factor in the choice of travel destinations, are driven by increased taxes.
Current tax rates and comparison with other EU countries
The new tax rates that have been in Germany since May 1, 2024 vary depending on the end goal of the flight and are between 15.53 euros and 70.83 euros per ticket. For comparison: air traffic taxes are significantly lower in many other EU countries. For example, the air traffic tax in Ireland, where Ryanair is based, is between 0 euros and 40 euros, which increases the competitiveness of Irish airlines compared to their German counterparts.
| Land | air traffic tax (in Euro) |
|---|---|
| Germany | 15.53 - 70.83 |
| Ireland | 0 - 40 |
| united kingdom | 13 - 116 |
| France | 1.40 - 18.50 |
This discrepancy in the tax rates could lead to Ryanair and other airlines re-evaluate their destinations in Germany and possibly shift capacities abroad, as already indicated by Ryanair boss Eddie Wilson.
political reactions and possible measures
The increase in air traffic tax not only triggered discussions within the aviation industry, but also caused political reactions. Specialist politicians from the tourism and aviation industry have called for the federal government to retain the decision on the tax increase in order to receive the competitiveness of German air traffic. Discussions about possible adjustments or redemptions of the tax should be intensified at the political level.
In addition, there are voices that indicate that alternative measures to support the aviation industry should be checked in relation to tax relief in order to reconcile both climate protection and economic growth. In some European countries, combined approaches to promote environmentally friendly technologies and to support the economic situation of airlines have been implemented, which could serve as a model for Germany.
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