Sightseeing: Potential Long-term Harm to Germany
Three airline companies simultaneously announce plans to drastically decrease their flights in Germany. The authorities seem to be disregarding this matter, which has led to backlash from the tourism sector. An organization warns that "it's time to sound the alarm" and proposes specific solutions to improve the situation.
Initially, Ryanair announced last week that it would cease operations from Dresden, Leipzig, and Dortmund, and also decrease its services in Berlin and Hamburg. Subsequently, Condor and Eurowings followed suit: Lufthansa's subsidiary alone is cancelling 1,000 flights in Hamburg, while the Thomas Cook successor is reducing 13% of its offerings. The German Tourism Association (BTW) perceives this as a concerning trend. "The current situation could potentially seriously undermine Germany as a tourist destination," said BTW President Soeren Hartmann. He attributed this to "the repercussions of certain political decisions." However, the relevant parties have thus far remained silent, appearing to accept the cancellations.
"All politicians who value tourism as an economic factor should be raising red flags in light of the persistent reports of flight cancellations," Hartmann suggested. He implored these politicians to "act swiftly" and reduce the costs associated with flights departing from Germany to a competitive level. "Otherwise, there is a risk of permanent and long-term harm to Germany as a tourist destination and the businesses within its tourism value chain," he cautioned. He referenced travel agencies, hotels, and recreational facilities that are struggling with the recently surged costs.
The association immediately put forth proposals for how the government could prevent further flight cancellations: "There are plenty of levers to pull," it stated in a public announcement. The relevant parties should lower air traffic tax and air security fees. The BTW also criticized the legal regulations regarding the blending quota for synthetic fuels, which will become effective in 2026, deeming it a "mistake." The quota "cannot even be implemented in practice." This will "unfairly influence competition to the detriment of German air traffic and its tourist destinations," the association claimed.
At the beginning of May, the government increased the air traffic tax by 25%. Next year, additional surcharges will be implemented for flight security fees and air security fees, with the possible maximum amounts then being 15 rather than 10 euros per passenger. Airlines continue to criticize the charges for airport starts and landings and the costs for parked aircraft. In Germany, these expenses are significantly higher than at foreign airports. The Association of German Airports estimates that costs in Germany are nearly three times higher than the European average.
Now, tensions are rising due to the fact that the flight cancellations are not contributing to a more sustainable energy balance. While connections within Germany are being eliminated, the airlines are not retiring their aircraft. Instead, they are flying more on other routes and merely redirecting their capacities abroad. The skies, consequently, remain just as crowded as before.
Travel agents across the tourism sector are expressing concerns about the impacts of the flight cancellations. Hartmann urged travel agents to prepare for potential reduction in bookings due to increased flight costs.
The flight cancellations could lead to travel agents facing challenges in securing affordable flight options for their clients, potentially affecting their business operations.
