The Irish airline Ryanair has sharply criticized the German government for not including a reduction in the 2026 federal budget. Aviation tax The airline complains that Germany, with traffic volumes at only 87 percent of pre-crisis levels, is lagging behind other European markets. The German government has missed an important opportunity to revitalize what it sees as a declining aviation market and promote tourism and jobs.
Ryanair argues that the German air travel tax, which was increased again in May 2024, is among the highest in Europe and puts Germany at a disadvantage in global competition. The airline cites countries such as Sweden, Hungary and regions in Italythat abolished their comparable taxes to stimulate growth. According to Dara Brady, Ryanair's CMO, the situation in the German aviation market is critical and threatens tourism, jobs and Germany's connectivity.
The airline is calling on the German government to urgently develop an aviation strategy that not only abolishes the air traffic tax but also reduces air traffic control and security fees. If the tax is abolished, Ryanair says it plans to immediately invest $3 billion in Germany, create 1.000 new jobs, and double passenger traffic to 34 million annually. Without these measures, Ryanair risks reducing flight schedules in Germany and shifting capacity to faster-growing EU markets.
The air traffic tax, introduced in Germany in 2011, has been the subject of debate several times in the past. Supporters see it as a source of revenue for the state, while critics emphasize its negative impact on the competitiveness of German airports and airlines. The charges cited by Ryanair include, among other things, costs for the German Air Traffic Control (DFS) and the air security fees levied by airports.