Ryanair to exit three German airports, signalling continued capacity shift from high-tax EU markets

Irish carrier Ryanair will withdraw all services from Bremen in April 2027 and will offer no flights from Leipzig/Halle or Dresden during the summer 2027 schedule after talks with airport operator Mitteldeutsche Flughafen AG collapsed over fees, the airline confirmed on 9 October. The decision could remove an estimated 400,000 annual seats from Bremen and follows earlier cutbacks at Berlin and Hamburg. CEO Michael O’Leary blamed Germany’s €13 per-passenger aviation tax and rising security fees, saying the airline is redeploying aircraft to ‘lower-cost, pro-growth’ markets. For Irish exporters and tech firms with operations in Saxony and Lower Saxony, the cuts may complicate staff visits and supply-chain oversight. Travellers will need to route via Frankfurt, Munich or foreign hubs such as Eindhoven, increasing door-to-door journey times by up to three hours. The move underscores a broader European trend: carriers reallocating capacity to jurisdictions—like Ireland and Spain—that cap airport fees and eschew passenger taxes. Dublin Airport could see additional based aircraft in 2027, potentially restoring growth momentum after September’s plateau. Mobility planners should revisit 2027 travel budgets for German operations, factoring in higher connecting-fare costs and longer travel days that may trigger rest-period allowances under EU working-time rules.