Lufthansa CEO raises concerns over escalating airport fees in Germany 

Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr has raised concerns about the future of air travel in Germany. According to the head of the country’s flag carrier, escalating airport fees and new government regulations are forcing airlines to cut routes. Spohr believes this concerning trend will harm Germany’s aviation sector, as higher costs are making it harder for airlines to maintain important flight connections.

In an interview with Bild am Sonntag on October 13, 2024, Spohr said the cancellations and route reductions are due to high fees imposed by the government, which have made German airports less competitive compared to their European counterparts. The Federal Association of the German Aviation Industry supports these claims, pointing out that Germany’s fees are much higher than in other European countries. For instance, for a medium-haul flight, taxes now add around €30 per passenger, driving up costs for airlines.

“I am very concerned about the connectivity of our business locations. The extreme increase in state costs for air traffic is leading to a further decline in services. More and more airlines are avoiding German airports or canceling important connections,” Spohr said.

The CEO also highlighted that additional national regulations, like the blending quota for e-fuels, are already planned for the coming years, even though these fuels are not yet widely available. According to Spohr, this is causing a decline in the quality of flight connections in major economic regions compared to “global standards.”

Spohr’s remarks come as several airlines, including Lufthansa’s subsidiary Eurowings and Ryanair, have announced significant cuts to their German operations due to rising operational costs.

Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair has already responded to rising airport charges by deciding to cut flight operations to Dortmund (DTM), Dresden (DRS), and Leipzig (LEJ) by summer 2025. The carrier will also reduce around 60% of flights from Hamburg (HAM) and 20% from Berlin (BER). Ryanair cites increased fees in Germany as the primary reason for these adjustments.

Ryanair to end operations at three German airports due to high aviation taxes 

AirlinesByGoda LabanauskaitėOctober 11, 2024

Following Ryanair’s example, Eurowings has announced plans to scale back its operations in Germany. The airline intends to cancel more than 1,000 flights from Hamburg by 2025, citing elevated airport and security fees as challenges to maintaining normal operations.

Spohr warned that if these issues are not addressed, Germany’s airports may lose their competitiveness, which could harm the economy and reduce investment.The post Lufthansa CEO raises concerns over escalating airport fees in Germany  appeared first on AeroTime.

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