The Irish low cost carrier said it will relocate seven aircraft to other European bases, reducing annual passenger numbers in Berlin from 4.5 million to around 2.2 million. From October, flights to and from the city will continue, but will be operated by aircraft based elsewhere, with the airline citing soaring aviation taxes and airport fees for the decision.
Staff affected by the closure are being offered transfers to other bases across Europe.
Eddie Wilson, chief executive of Ryanair DAC, said: "German aviation is broken. The government admits that it is uncompetitive, yet there is no strategy to cut aviation taxes or high airport fees – despite Ryanair warning that Germany would lose traffic, connectivity, jobs and trade.
"Since 2019, Ryanair has been forced to close its bases in Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Stuttgart … in addition to stopping all flights to Dresden, Leipzig and Dortmund."
Ryanair said these previous closures resulted in the loss of 13 aircraft from the German market.
The move comes as airlines across Europe face mounting cost pressures, with jet fuel prices more than doubling since the escalation of conflict in the Gulf earlier this year. Industry disruption has also raised concerns about potential flight cancellations, with Ryanair previously warning that up to 10 per cent of late summer services could be affected if supply issues persist.
The decision has drawn criticism from German trade union Verdi, which accused the airline of prioritising profit over workers.
Dennis Dacke, head of Verdi’s federal aviation division, said the strategy was "purely profit-oriented" and claimed employees had been treated like "disposable commodities".
Meanwhile, some transport experts have suggested the cuts could create opportunities for rail travel.
Jon Worth, a European railway policy analyst, said: "The demise of Ryanair at Berlin airport should mean an opportunity for more passengers to take trains to Berlin instead."
Berlin is already well connected by rail, with direct services to cities including Amsterdam, Warsaw, Prague and Paris, while additional routes continue to expand.
Despite this, Worth noted that rail operators must improve reliability and pricing to fully capitalise on the shift.
The changes highlight growing tensions between airlines and governments over taxation and operating costs, as well as the wider challenges facing the European aviation sector.
