Ryanair to Cut Capacity at Berlin Airport, Citing High Costs — Update

By Pierre Bertrand

Ryanair Holdings said it would cut 20% of its capacity at Berlin Brandenburg Airport due to high access costs.

The low-cost Irish airline said it would reduce the number of its aircraft based in the German capital to seven from nine, resulting in 750,000 fewer seats for passengers.

The airport will also lose six routes as Ryanair chooses to focus on lower-cost countries like Italy, Poland and Spain, the airline said.

Europe's largest carrier by passenger numbers said neither the airport nor the German government had addressed what it said were high access costs.

"At a time when Berlin should be growing, Ryanair is left with no choice but to cut capacity by 20% due to these sky-high air access costs," Ryanair airline boss Eddie Wilson said.

The company said last week that it would cut its capacity in Germany for summer next year by 10% if costs, including aviation taxes and air-traffic control charges, weren't reduced.

Germany increased its aviation taxes in May. Ryanair said Tuesday that the airport's air-traffic control charges have doubled since 2019 while the security fee cap is set to increase from next year.

Berlin Brandenburg Airport said it regretted Ryanair's move but understood the airline's criticism over the rise in Germany's aviation taxes.

"The entire industry has been criticizing this development for some time now, pointing to possible loss of connectivity and disadvantage in intra-European competition," the airport said in a statement.

Write to Pierre Bertrand at pierre.bertrand@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 27, 2024 10:27 ET (14:27 GMT)

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