Ryanair welcomes CDU resolution to abolish Germany’s air passenger tax following Swedish model

Germany

Airline sees reform of state-imposed charges as key to restoring competitiveness and boosting inbound tourism

Ryanair, Europe’s No. 1 airline, last Friday welcomed the CDU party conference resolution to reduce excessive state-imposed access costs in Germany, including the abolition of the air passenger tax. According to the airline, this step would strengthen Germany’s competitiveness as an aviation market and provide new momentum for inbound tourism.

The CDU resolution underlines the role of competitive access costs in stimulating traffic, tourism and employment across Germany, particularly at regional airports. Ryanair points to the government’s earlier announcement to reduce the air passenger tax and freeze air navigation charges as evidence of this dynamic. Following that announcement, the airline added more than 300,000 seats and 11 new routes in Germany for summer 2026, arguing that lower charges directly support growth.

Growth potential tied to structural reform

Ryanair maintains that comprehensive reform is now required to unlock longer-term expansion. If Berlin were to fully abolish the air passenger tax and reduce air navigation charges, the airline states it would deliver substantial growth over the next seven years.

According to the carrier, this could include doubling its German passenger traffic to 34 million per year, expanding bases across the country and creating thousands of new jobs. The airline frames the issue as one of structural competitiveness, with access costs seen as a decisive factor for investment decisions.

Expansion beyond major hubs

Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson said:

“Ryanair welcomes the recent decision by the CDU party conference to reduce access costs in Germany, including the long overdue abolition of the damaging air passenger tax. The CDU resolution recognises the link between competitive access costs and growth. It also rightly highlights the overconcentration of traffic at Frankfurt and Munich. Ryanair has the aircraft — with 300 Boeing MAX 10 joining our fleet over the next seven years — to double our German traffic to 34 million passengers per year and deliver much-needed inbound tourism and jobs, not only in Berlin or other major hub airports, but at airports across Germany.

These include Bremen, Weeze, Cologne, Memmingen, Saarbrücken and Friedrichshafen, as well as the resumption of our Saxony bases in Dresden and Leipzig, with tangible growth exactly where it truly matters, supporting German tourism, jobs, businesses and the wider economy. To enable this transformative growth across Germany, the government must address the uncompetitive access costs, starting with the full abolition of the air passenger tax combined with lower air navigation charges.”