Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair has announced that it will close its seven-aircraft base at Berlin/Brandenburg Airport from October 24.
The airline blamed the closure on what it described as unjustified and excessive fees. All seven of its Berlin-based Boeing 737s will be redeployed “to lower cost airports in other EU states that have abolished aviation taxes, like Sweden, Slovakia, Albania and Italy.” The decision means Ryanair will slash its network from Berlin by 50%, reducing passenger numbers from 4.5 million to 2.2 million in 2027.
The airline said Berlin Airport had notified carriers of a further 10% increase in fees between 2027 and 2029, on top of what Ryanair says is a 50% rise in airport fees since the COVID-19 pandemic. It also pointed to German air passenger tax, security fees and air traffic control charges as contributing to what it called an uncompetitive operating environment.
Eddie Wilson, chief executive of Ryanair DAC, said that while the airline regretted the decision, it had no alternative but to close the base, arguing that Berlin had failed to offer competitive incentives to rebuild traffic: “Since 2019, Ryanair has been forced to close its bases in Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Stuttgart (resulting in the loss of 13 based aircraft) in addition to stopping all flights to Dresden, Leipzig and Dortmund.
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 in Berlin following the German government’s failure to abolish its harmful aviation tax and Berlin Airport’s decision to increase its already high airport fees again.”
Berlin/Brandenburg opened in 2020 after years of delays and replaced Tegel and Schönefeld as the city’s main commercial airport. However, the airport has struggled to recover to pre-pandemic levels and Ryanair’s decision will further reduce low-cost connectivity at the German capital.
