The Irish budget airline Ryanair has called on the German government to withdraw the air traffic tax that was increased in May. Otherwise, the airline will reduce its offering from German airports by a further 10 percent or 1.5 million seats next summer and relocate to countries with a cheaper cost base.
Europe’s busiest airline also demanded reduced fees for air traffic control and a waiver of the already agreed fee increase for air security checks for passengers at airports.
From the company’s point of view, the high government-imposed costs are the main reason why air traffic at German airports is recovering more slowly from the Covid shock than in other European countries. “The German air traffic market is shattered and urgently needs to be rehabilitated,” said airline boss Eddie Wilson in a statement. As a result of the high government taxes and fees and the “high-price monopoly of Lufthansa,” German citizens are paying the highest airfares in Europe.
Most recently, the Federal Statistical Office confirmed the high ticket prices in Germany. While long-haul prices fell slightly in the first half of 2024, European flights were still 2.7 percent more expensive than in the very high-priced period of the previous year. The German industry association BDL also criticized the high cost burden at the location and called for a moratorium on charges for aviation.