Ryanair guts Berlin flights by 50% – Blames out-of-control fees
Ryanair aircraft (Photo: Getty Images)
Low-cost carrier Ryanair is closing its base at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) and reducing the number of flights to and from the German capital by 50%, reports Tagesspiegel.
Reasons for the withdrawal
According to Wilson, Ryanair is pulling seven aircraft from BER and redeploying them to other hubs — in Sweden, Slovakia, Albania, or Italy — where conditions are significantly cheaper. This decision was made after the airport administration announced a 10% fee increase for the 2027-2029 period.
Additionally, since 2019, Germany's federal aviation tax has increased from €7.30 to €15.50 per passenger (more than doubling). Security fees are expected to double by January 2028 — from €10 to €20. BER airport fees have risen by 50% since the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Berlin airport is a hopelessly overpriced, failed project," said airline board chairman Eddie Wilson.
Consequences for passengers and staff
Starting October 24, Ryanair will reduce the number of flights to/from Berlin by 50%. Around 210 employees (pilots and cabin crew) are facing layoffs.
They may be offered other jobs in Europe, but according to Wilson, most likely not in Germany.
Reaction from the airport and authorities
BER CEO Aletta von Massenbach expressed surprise at Ryanair's decision, noting that negotiations with airlines are ongoing and that such fee increases are not planned.
At the same time, she acknowledged that extremely high state costs, taxes, and fees are a major challenge for all German airports, and especially for BER, which has a high percentage of direct flights and depends on price-sensitive low-cost carriers.
Criticism from unions and the economy
The Verdi union criticized Ryanair for its profit-maximizing orientation and for failing to notify the local works council of the closure (although Wilson claimed to have reached an agreement with two other unions on a social package).
The Berlin Chamber of Commerce and Industry called the decision a serious blow to the capital's transport hub, which will affect tourism, the hotel industry, and the region's commercial attractiveness.
Prospects for return
Wilson promised that Ryanair would return to Berlin only when BER offers competitive conditions. He added that the airport mistakenly sees itself competing with hubs like Amsterdam or London, while the low-cost carrier's real competitors are Milan (Bergamo), Warsaw, and others.
Ukrainian authorities have already begun preparations for the resumption of air travel — the government has formed a special working group on this issue.
The director of Boryspil Airport, Oleksii Dubrevsky, previously assured that the airport could be operational within a month after the opening of the airspace.
