Ryanair to abandon its Berlin base this autumn

Accused of being “hopelessly inefficient”, Berlin base will be closed by Ryanair next October. This will translate into a massive reduction of flights as the Irish low-cost carrier will transfer its 7 Berlin aircraft to other bases across Europe which offer lower or no aviation taxes such as in Sweden, Slovakia, Albania or Italy. 

Europe’s largest low cost airline announced on April 24 to close its Berlin base on 24 Oct ’26. Ryanair will consequently reduce the number of flights it operates to/from Berlin by 50% in its winter schedule. The airline explained that the decision is a direct result of Berlin Airport’s recent notice to raise again fees by another 10% from 2027 to 2029 although the airport already increased its high airport fees  by 50% since Covid. 

For Ryanair, German aviation policy has failed its citizens as it relies on high aviation taxes and excessive airport costs to combat hopeless inefficiency, evidenced by the fact that since 2019:

• Germany’s harmful aviation tax has more than doubled from €7.30 to €15.50 per passenger.
• German security fees have doubled from €10 in 2024 to €20 per pax by Jan 2028.
• German ATC fees have trebled from €1 to €3.30 per passenger.
• Airport fees have sky-rocketed – especially at Berlin where published airport charges have increased by 50% since Covid, with a further 10% increase due by 2029.

Ryanair’s presence has considerably diminished in Berlin since 2022

Ryanair’s story of disappointment and hatred towards Berlin is not new. Back to winter 2022,  terminated flights to 19 routes. In August 2024, the carrier further reduced its presence by 20%, taking away 2 aircraft and cancelling 6 destinations. In summer 2025, it cut again its network from Berlin by 6 other destinations.

Ryanair explains that “thanks to Berlin Airport’s unjustified and excessive fee increases of 50% since 2019, its air traffic has collapsed by almost 30% from 36m pax in 2019 to just 26m in 2025, leaving Berlin the most failing airport in Europe. Instead of introducing lower cost traffic recovery incentives for airlines to recover this traffic collapse, Berlin Airport has decided to further increase its already high prices by another 10% making Berlin hopelessly noncompetitive versus other European airports who are cutting fees to grow, and where governments are abolishing travel taxes.”

Ryanair DAC CEO Eddie Wilson said: “We regret to announce this planned closure of our 7 aircraft Berlin base from 24 Oct 2026, but we have no alternative following the Airport’s latest 10% fee increase to its already high airport fees. Despite Berlin Airport losing 30% of its pre-Covid traffic, they have now decided to increase charges by a further 10% which will result in the loss of more than 2 million Ryanair seats per year and 7 based aircraft. Ryanair will still serve Berlin but with aircraft based outside Germany. Our Berlin traffic will fall by 50% from 4.5 million to 2.2 million passengers  in 2027.”

Incomprehension by BER Airport management

Berlin Airport CEO Aletta von Massenbach reacted and declared in a written statement on Friday: “We are surprised by Ryanair’s announcement. We are currently in negotiations with the airlines. Such an increase in airport charges is not planned.”

She added that the move also reflects the exceptionally high government-imposed location costs, taxes, and fees that affect all German airports. “BER is particularly impacted because it has a high share of point-to-point traffic (direct flights), and those airlines are especially sensitive to costs,” she further explained. 

Von Massenbach however declined to comment further on the ongoing negotiations with Ryanair.