Low-cost carrier Ryanair confirmed on Tuesday (28 July 2026) that it will withdraw two aircraft from Berlin-Brandenburg (BER) and one from Hamburg (HAM) for the coming winter timetable, shifting the capacity to airports in Italy and Croatia. The Irish airline blamed Germany’s €13 per-passenger aviation tax, higher security fees and what it calls a "bureaucratic maze" around next year’s Entry/Exit System (EES) rollout for eroding the cost advantage of its German bases. The cutbacks mean the cancellation of 18 weekly rotations, including Berlin–Gdańsk, Berlin–Malta and Hamburg–Milan-Bergamo, and the suspension of the fledgling BER–Sofia route altogether. Around 120 directly employed cabin-crew and ground-handling staff will be offered transfers to Ryanair bases in Naples and Zadar. Corporate travel managers face reduced point-to-point options from Germany’s north, with passengers likely funneled onto Lufthansa Group or rail alternatives. Airport operator FBB warned that the move will cost Berlin about 250,000 passengers a year and could dampen the capital’s attractiveness for Meetings-Incentives-Conferences-Events (MICE) business. The German Travel Management Association (VDR) echoed industry calls to scrap the aviation tax once the EU’s own Sustainable Aviation Fuel levy takes effect in 2027, arguing that double taxation undermines Germany’s connectivity. For now, companies should monitor route maps closely and re-negotiate corporate fares on surviving services. Travellers booked after 28 October on affected flights can accept re-routing, claim a refund or switch free of charge within seven days of the original date, according to Ryanair’s disruption notice. Organisations with mobility policies tied to specific hub airports may need to update preferred-carrier lists and check carbon budgeting, as longer surface journeys could offset any emission savings from reduced flight activity.
Source: Berlin Today
