Eurowings slashes domestic flights by 40% amid rising costs

Eurowings is significantly reducing its domestic German flight services, cutting its routes by 40% compared to 2019. This move follows an increase in operational costs in Germany, which has impacted many airlines and, consequently, travellers. While demand remains strong, flight availability is declining.

According to the Federal Association of the German Aviation Industry (BDL), the number of available seats this winter is less than half of pre-pandemic levels. The upcoming 2024/25 winter flight schedule highlights notable route cancellations, particularly affecting Stuttgart, which will lose connections to Düsseldorf, Hanover, Dresden, and Leipzig/Halle. Cologne will also see reductions, with routes to Dresden, Leipzig/Halle, and Sylt being cut.

Additional affected routes include Düsseldorf-Nuremberg, Berlin-Karlsruhe, and Berlin-Munich. The Cologne-Hamburg route has already seen an 83% reduction in flights since 2019 and is at risk of further cuts.

Over the past five years, almost all Eurowings domestic connections have been reduced by at least half, reflecting a broader trend of reduced flight services within Germany.