Ryanair will close its operational base in Berlin and will reduce its winter schedule, citing the increase in aviation taxes. Employees have the option to transfer to other European centers.

Ryanair has announced the closure of its operational base in Berlin and the reduction of its winter schedule, citing a significant increase in aviation taxes in Germany. This decision will lead to the relocation of seven aircraft and a drastic decrease in the number of passengers, from 4.5 million to 2.2 million annually.

Employees at the base have been offered transfers to other European centers of the company. Eddie Wilson, CEO of Ryanair DAC, criticized the lack of a strategy from the German government to reduce costs, warning that Germany will lose traffic and jobs. The closure of the Berlin base is part of a series of withdrawals, including those from Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, and Stuttgart. The German union Verdi has criticized Ryanair's decisions, considering them profit-driven. In the context of rising jet fuel prices and difficulties in the airline industry, environmentalists suggest that Ryanair's withdrawal could provide an opportunity for rail transport, which has direct connections to several European cities.