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Ryanair has attributed Germany's slow aviation recovery to high government taxes and fees, which the airline claims are hampering growth in the sector. In a recent statement, Ryanair pointed out that German air traffic is at 77% of pre-pandemic levels as of January, making it "the worst performing aviation market in Europe." This assessment comes despite other countries having exceeded their pre-COVID traffic figures.
Eddie Wilson, CEO of Ryanair, expressed concern over the situation: "Ryanair's German traffic update for January shows that the German aviation market is collapsing, particularly at airports where Ryanair has canceled flights for summer 2025. In January, German air traffic collapsed to a shameful 77% of pre-COVID levels, due to the very high cost of access in Germany."
Wilson highlighted that these costs include government taxes and airport fees averaging €15.53 ($16.25) per passenger in Germany. By contrast, nations like Hungary, Ireland, and Poland have removed such taxes and seen their traffic exceed pre-pandemic levels. According to Ryanair, this difference illustrates how Germany's failure to reduce access costs is impeding its recovery.
