BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - After the corona shock, air traffic in Germany is progressing too slowly, according to the industry. In a European comparison, the number of flights from German airports threatens to fall further in the current year, reports the industry association BDL in Berlin. According to a current forecast, German airports will only offer 85% of the number of seats in the winter flight schedule as before the coronavirus crisis in winter 2018/19. In the other European countries, the supply is already at 109% of the pre-crisis level, which is significantly higher.

Direct airlines avoid Germany

According to the companies, the main reason for the shortfall is the high cost burden caused by government-imposed fees and taxes. These burdens have almost doubled since 2020, complains BDL President Jens Bischof. Most recently, the German air traffic tax was increased by around 25 percent on May 1. "This is why European point-to-point airlines in particular are avoiding German airports." The BDL is calling for a moratorium on these costs. "This would be a first step towards securing the connectivity of our airports and our business location," says Bischof.

Further charges to rise soon

Currently, the government-imposed fees and taxes for the take-off of a typical medium-haul flight in Frankfurt, Stuttgart or Düsseldorf are around twice as high as in Rome, Oslo or Brussels, for example. In Madrid, instead of 4,400 euros, only 660 euros would be due. However, airlines and airports in Germany are facing further cost burdens. For example, the maximum fee for aviation security checks will rise from 10 to 15 euros per passenger at the beginning of next year.

Against EU climate package

The association is also calling for a revision of the European climate package "Fit for 55", which places an excessive burden on European aviation and gives competitors, particularly from the Arabian Gulf and Turkey, further competitive advantages. More and more passengers in Asian traffic are already transferring to hubs outside the EU./ceb/DP/mis