Ryanair cuts 20% capacity in Berlin (including Brussels flights) over high access costs and taxes

Ryanair announced a 20% reduction in its operations at Berlin Brandenburg Airport due to excessive access costs and high taxes, which the German government and airport management have failed to address.

The cuts include the removal of 750,000 seats, the cancellation of six routes (Brussels, Chania, Kaunas, Krakow, Luxembourg, and Riga), and a reduction in based aircraft from nine to seven. Ryanair is reallocating this capacity to lower-cost EU countries like Italy, Poland, and Spain.

The airline’s decision follows repeated warnings that Germany’s aviation sector is at risk due to rising Aviation Tax (up 24%), soaring ATC charges (up 100% since 2019), and an upcoming 50% increase in the Security Fee cap. Germany’s air travel recovery lags behind the rest of Europe, with Berlin Brandenburg operating at just 71% of pre-COVID levels.

Ryanair criticised the lack of government engagement and warned that these reductions would harm Berlin’s tourism and economy while benefiting more competitive European cities with lower taxes and fees.