Ryanair will close its Berlin base from October 24, 2026, and cut flights to and from the German capital by 50% in its winter 2026 schedule.
Ryanair DAC said it will move seven aircraft from Berlin Brandenburg Airport to lower-cost airports in Sweden, Slovakia, Albania and Italy.
The airline blamed higher airport charges in Berlin and rising aviation costs across Germany, including aviation tax, security fees and air traffic control charges.
Ryanair said Berlin Airport fees have increased by around 50% since 2019 and warned that further rises are planned.
Ryanair DAC Chief Executive Officer Eddie Wilson said the airline had “no alternative” after Berlin Airport’s latest fee increase.
The company said it currently carries about 4.5 million passengers a year to and from Berlin.
Ryanair expects that figure to fall to about 2.2 million passengers in 2027 after the base closure.
The airline said it will continue serving Berlin with aircraft based outside Germany, but passengers will face fewer routes, seats and frequencies at Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
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Berlin Airport said Ryanair’s announcement came as a surprise and challenged parts of the airline’s claims, arguing that its fees remain within the European mid-range
Berlin Airport said the announcement had caught it by surprise and challenged parts of Ryanair’s claims, arguing that its fees remain within the European mid-range.
The airport acknowledged broader government-imposed aviation costs as a challenge for Germany’s air travel sector and said Eurowings and Wizz Air continue to grow at Berlin Brandenburg Airport