The recovery of air traffic in Germany virtually came to a standstill in the first half of 2025 due to excessive government-imposed costs, the German Aviation Association (BDL) has warned.
While other European countries are already flying significantly more on average than before the pandemic, the number of passengers at German airports, at 99.4 million, is still 15.8% below 2019 levels.
In the first half of 2025, growth collapsed to just 2.8% compared to the same period last year. In the previous year, passenger numbers had increased by 10%.
This ranks Germany 28th out of 31 European countries in terms of the recovery of air traffic after the coronavirus pandemic.
The reason for this development is that this year alone the burden on Germany as a location for air transport will increase by around €1.1bn to a total of around €4.4bn due to government-imposed costs, said the German Aviation Association.
“We are seeing the consequences at almost every airport in Germany,” said Jens Bischof, president of the German Aviation Association.
“Airlines are withdrawing their aircraft and deploying them in other European countries with competitive cost levels.
“In view of this alarming development, it is essential that the federal government prioritises the crisis facing Germany as a location for air transport.”
Bischof added: “Revoking the recent increase in the air transport tax in May 2024 would have been a first signal for airlines to return.
“It is high time to take countermeasures. It is not yet too late for Europe’s number one economy to regain a leading position in air transport connectivity.
“Here, the growth desired by the federal government can be unleashed with comparatively limited resources.”
According to a new survey by the association, the number of aircraft stationed in Germany by European point-to-point airlines has declined from 190 in 2019 to 130 in 2025.
The consequence of this fleet relocation abroad is not only a loss of connectivity, but also a direct loss of billions to the national economy, said the German Aviation Association.
The association added that every aircraft stationed in Germany is equivalent to a medium-sized company – it secures around 170 jobs and contributes an annual added value of around €70mn to the gross domestic product.
In total, the withdrawal of aircraft from Germany has already resulted in the loss of more than 10,000 jobs and over four billion euros in annual value added, according to the trade group.
“Added to this are indirect effects such as fewer hotel overnight stays and restaurant visits by tourists and business travellers from abroad,” it said.
Bischof said: “By deciding against urgently needed relief from government-imposed costs for air travel from Germany, the German federal government would be squandering an important opportunity for new economic growth.
“Demand for air travel is higher than ever across Europe – but because government-imposed costs have more than doubled since 2019, airlines are avoiding Germany.
“The German export industry’s connection to its international markets is suffering massively as a result.”
Many important city connections that were still a key component of the international connections of Germany’s economic regions in 2019 are still missing today.
The association added: “Several connections, some of which were flown multiple times a day before the pandemic, are no longer included in the flight schedule.
“The bottom line is that the number of flights offered annually between Germany and other European countries, at 1.1 million, is still 20% below the pre-coronavirus level.”
