Ryanair is cutting approximately 10% of its flight offerings in Germany for the upcoming winter, removing 800,000 seats and 24 routes due to ongoing disputes with the German government over travel taxes and fees.

The airline criticizes Germany's high costs, claiming they weaken its competitiveness compared to other EU countries, and is calling for a reduction in the air traffic tax.

Affected airports include Memmingen, Berlin-Brandenburg, Baden-Baden, Cologne/Bonn, Frankfurt-Hahn, Niederrhein, Hamburg, Nuremberg, and Bremen, while Dortmund, Dresden, and Leipzig remain unaffected.

Ryanair is also fighting against Germany’s night flight ban, which has been in effect since a January 2025 incident where a plane landed against the night landing restrictions, and is seeking special permits for night landings.

Ryanair’s Chief Marketing Officer described the route cuts as 'entirely avoidable' and urged the German Transport Minister to implement reforms in the aviation system.

The airline has suspended flights to Dortmund, Dresden, and Leipzig hubs, which have not been served for several months.

The new winter schedule also cancels routes to Tel Aviv, Riga, Kaunas, Brussels, and Krakow, with Tel Aviv currently not being served.

Ryanair plans to offer around seven million tickets in Germany this winter, slightly less than the 7.2 million passengers flown last year, as it reduces capacity by removing 800,000 seats.

The airline’s CEO has made a direct appeal to the German government, urging a reduction in airport charges and taxes, specifically calling on Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder to take action.

This move highlights the ongoing challenges faced by budget airlines in Germany, which are influenced by regulatory and tax policies.