Tourexpi
German Air Travel Lags Behind – Still 10% Below Pre-COVID Levels
Ryanair,
Europe’s leading airline, has released its German traffic update for April,
confirming that Germany remains the weakest-performing aviation market in
Europe. The airline attributes this trend to excessively high access
costs—comprising taxes, air traffic control charges, security fees, and airport
fees.
Airports
with particularly high operating costs, such as Berlin, Cologne, and
Hamburg—where Ryanair has reduced its flight offerings—continue to operate well
below pre-pandemic levels, despite the traditionally busy Easter travel period.
According
to Ryanair, the former German government’s failure to reduce these access costs
is stalling recovery and hindering growth. Following the airline’s decision to
cut summer 2025 capacity, Germany’s air traffic has declined further and now
operates at just 90% of pre-COVID levels. This is in stark contrast to
countries like Ireland, Hungary, and Poland, which have actively lowered access
costs and scrapped air travel taxes to stimulate post-pandemic recovery.
Eddie
Wilson, CEO of Ryanair, stated:
“Our
April figures make it clear—air traffic in Germany is in free fall, still far
below pre-COVID levels, especially at high-cost airports like Berlin, Cologne,
and Hamburg, where we’ve reduced summer 2025 flights.
Ryanair
urges the new German government to scrap the damaging air travel tax and reduce
air traffic control and security fees to revive Germany’s collapsing aviation
sector and economy. If that happens, Ryanair will more than double passenger
numbers in Germany, investing $3 billion in new aircraft, new routes, and 1,000
new jobs—just as we have in other European markets where governments eliminated
air taxes and reduced access costs to attract airline investment.”
Image
Credit: © Ryanair
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