Budget airline Ryanair has cut its German capacity for next summer by 12% in a row about the country’s aviation taxes.
It said it is cancelling 22 routes for summer 2025, representing 1.8 million seats “due to the German government’s continued failure” to reduce aviation tax, security and air traffic control fees, which the airline warns “is stifling recovery and growth”.
Ryanair will close its Dortmund, Dresden and Leipzig operations and will cut Hamburg by 60%.
It said in a statement: “This loss of 1.8 million seats will be devastating for jobs, tourism, and connectivity, with Germany now the worst performing aviation market post-Covid at just 82% of 2019 traffic levels, with German citizens now being rewarded with the highest airfares in Europe having bailed out Lufthansa with €6 billion.
“This performance by Germany is in stark contrast to other EU states such as Sweden, Italy, Hungary and Poland, who are lowering access costs to promote post-Covid traffic recovery and growth.”
The Telegraph noted that Ryanair is not the only carrier to have protested against the measures, with flag-carrier Lufthansa also raising concerns and no-frills airline easyJet also cutting back its German services.
In August, Ryanair urged the German government to reverse the recent 24% increase in aviation tax and reduce “soaring” ATC charges, which have doubled since 2019. The airline also called on the German government to defer the 50% increase in security fees, scheduled for January 2025.