EasyJet plans to withdraw from German domestic air travel and halve the number of aircraft it bases in Berlin.
The carrier will scrap all domestic services in Germany, including important business travel routes between Berlin and Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Munich and Stuttgart.
The changes form part of major cost-cutting measures as easyJet refocuses on leisure travel in Germany amid expectations that corporate travel demand will be slow to return.
EasyJet resumed flights from Berlin to holiday destinations around Europe in June.
The airline developed an important base at Berlin following its acquisition of Air Berlin’s former operation at Tegel airport in 2018. Air Berlin ceased flying in October 2017.
EasyJet announced a reduction in aircraft at Berlin on July 1 and began talks with German unions on plans to halve the number of employees from about 1,540.
It will cut the number of aircraft from 34 to 18.
Chief executive Johan Lundgren said: “We will remain Berlin’s largest carrier, [but] we have to adjust our schedule to reflect the demand following the pandemic and focus on profitable flying.”
EasyJet began formal consultation on redundancies with UK-based unions at the end of June after announcing a reduction of up to 30% in its workforce.
The carrier proposes to close three of UK bases at London Stansted, Southend and Newcastle after forecasting demand is unlikely to return to the level of 2019 until 2023.
Lundgren said at the time of the UK consultation announcement: “Unfortunately the lower demand environment means we need fewer aircraft and have less opportunity for work for our people. We are committed to minimising job losses as far as possible.”
EasyJet’s withdrawal in Germany comes as Lufthansa announced the setting up of a new leisure flying operation called Ocean, based in Frankfurt, which will operate flights to short and long-haul destinations as the Lufthansa group focuses more on tourism.
Lufthansa said Ocean would hold an operating licence but not be used as a brand.
The group currently operates holiday flights through several subsidiaries including Eurowings, Germanwings and Sun Express Deutschland as well as Brussels Airlines.