Max HeyraudBad news for Irish travellers heading to Berlin, as Ryanair is pulling the plug on its Berlin base and cutting its presence in Germany’s capital by half, blaming rising aviation taxes and airport fees.
The budget airline confirmed it will close its Berlin operating base from October 24 and reduce its winter schedule to and from the city by 50%. That reduction will see annual passenger numbers drop from around 4.5 million to roughly 2.2 million.
All seven aircraft currently based in Berlin will be relocated to lower-cost airports elsewhere in Europe, with Sweden, Slovakia, Albania and Italy among the destinations set to absorb the capacity. Ryanair said pilots and cabin crew in Berlin were informed of the closure plans today, and that staff will be offered alternative positions elsewhere across its European network.
The decision is the latest chapter in Ryanair’s long-running dispute with Germany over what it sees as structurally high aviation costs. The airline has repeatedly criticised German air traffic taxes and airport charges, arguing they make the country significantly less competitive than other European markets.
For Berlin, the move means fewer low-cost flights and reduced airline presence on the ground, another cutback in what has been an ongoing scaling down of Ryanair’s operations in Germany.
