300,000 SEATS REINSTATED DESPITE ONGOING CUTS AT HIGH-COST AIRPORTS

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Wed, 11 Mar) announced its Summer 2026 schedule for Germany, including the launch of 2 new airports Saarbrücken and Friedrichshafen as well as the reinstatement of 300,000 seats and 14 new routes, following the German Govt’s decision to reduce the damaging aviation tax from July 2026 and freeze ATC charges. The beneficiaries of this capacity growth are the proactive German airports who have worked with Ryanair to reduce costs such as Cologne, Niederrhein, Memmingen and Bremen airports.

This sensible policy shift allows Ryanair to reverse previously planned Summer 2026 capacity cuts. However, Ryanair’s total capacity in Germany will remain below Summer 2025 levels (-220,000 seats), as the airline continues cutting seats at Germany’s highest‑cost airports, including Berlin and Hamburg, who refuse to reduce their excessive and uncompetitive airport charges. Berlin, which remains the highest-cost airport in Ryanair’s German network, will see a reduction of 150,000 seats (-5%) and Hamburg will lose 70,000 seats (-20%). These cuts underline how excessive airport costs directly translate into lost traffic, tourism and jobs across Germany.

While the German Govt’s decision to cut the aviation tax and freeze ATC charges represents a welcome first step, Germany remains significantly less competitive than countries such as Sweden, Albania, Hungary, Slovakia and regional Italy, where aviation taxes have been abolished entirely. Ryanair again calls on the German Govt and Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder to fully abolish the aviation tax, halve excessive ATC and security charges and ensure competitive airport costs nationwide. If these pro-growth reforms are delivered, Ryanair stands ready to double its German traffic to 34m passengers annually, base an additional 30 aircraft in Germany (US$3bn investment), launch over 200 new routes and create over 1,000 highly paid aviation jobs.

Ryanair Head of Comms DACH, Marcel Pouchain Meyer said:

“We welcome the German Govt’s decision to cut the aviation tax and freeze ATC charges, which has enabled Ryanair to reinstate 300,000 seats and launch 14 new routes for Summer 26, delivering immediate benefits for regional connectivity, tourism and jobs. However, despite this positive first step, Ryanair’s overall capacity in Germany for Summer 2026 remains 220,000 seats lower than Summer 2025, as high-cost airports like Berlin and Hamburg continue to fail to address their highly uncompetitive charges.

Ryanair again calls on the German Govt. and Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder to scrap the aviation tax in full, cut excessive ATC and security charges by 50% and deliver competitive airport costs across Germany. If these pro‑growth reforms are implemented, Ryanair stands ready to double its German traffic to 34 million passengers annually, base 30 additional aircraft in Germany (US$3bn investment), launch over 200 new routes and create more than 1,000 high‑paid aviation jobs.

Until Germany fully abolishes its anti-growth aviation tax and tackles excessive airport, security and ATC charges, Germany will continue to lose traffic, tourism and jobs to more competitive European markets.”

Summer 2026 New Routes

Friedrichshafen – Alicante

Frankfurt Hahn – Rabat

Friedrichshafen – Palma de Mallorca

Karlsruhe/Baden Baden – Amman

Karlsruhe/Baden Baden – Bucharest (Băneasa)

Karlsruhe/Baden Baden – Rabat

Karlsruhe/Baden Baden – Tirana

Memmingen – Tirana

Memmingen – Bucharest (Băneasa)

Nürnberg – Rabat

Saarbrücken – Alicante

Saarbrücken – Lamezia Terme

Saarbrücken – Trapani

Cologne – Rimini