Ryanair Is Walking Away From an Entire German Airport

Ryanair has told Bremen it is leaving. From April 2027 the airline will end all flights from the northern German airport, moving roughly 500,000 annual seats to other European airports. Its remaining routes there serve Alicante, London Stansted, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca and Zadar, with some operated by sister carriers.

The airline blames costs. Chief commercial officer Jason McGuinness says airport charges, Germany’s aviation tax and air traffic control and security fees have driven Bremen out of the market. Ryanair carries about 400,000 passengers a year through the airport. A Bremen state official said the demands could not be met economically or under EU state aid rules, and would have required the airport to contribute up to five euros per passenger.

Bremen is only part of a wider retreat. Ryanair plans to cut German capacity by 10 percent, or 700,000 seats, this winter compared with last year. Its seven-aircraft base at Berlin Brandenburg closes on October 24, and Hamburg capacity falls by 5 percent.

Travelers booked on Bremen flights after April should check their reservations and any rebooking options. For northern Germany, losing the biggest low-cost carrier could push fares up on remaining routes, though other airlines may try to fill the gap.

Sources: ch-aviation, Aviation Week