Even years after the coronavirus pandemic, domestic air traffic in Germany has not yet fully recovered. While international and tourist routes have in some cases even grown beyond pre-crisis levels, the domestic market is lagging behind. Structural problems, high government taxes, and a dwindling flight network are putting a strain on Germany as a business location. More than five years after the start of the pandemic, domestic air traffic in Germany remains in crisis. While international flight connections, particularly to tourist destinations, are recovering dynamically, services on domestic routes are stagnating. The decline in decentralized point-to-point connections is particularly severe. According to the German Aviation Association (BDL), these have only reached around 20 percent of the pre-crisis level of 2019. While scheduled flights via the major hubs of Frankfurt and Munich are once again being offered on a larger scale, direct connections between smaller German cities have virtually disappeared. This development has noticeable consequences for the accessibility of many regions and, as companies are increasingly complaining, is making business travel more difficult in particular. Competitive Disadvantage Due to Government Taxes The industry sees the burden of government-imposed costs as a key obstacle. The air traffic tax, security fees, and air traffic control fees in Germany are among the highest in Europe. This not only reduces the attractiveness of domestic air travel, but also that of Germany as a business location. According to estimates by the BDL, the additional costs caused by government intervention will have risen again by €2025 billion in 1,2. Airlines are therefore forced to reduce their services or abandon them entirely. The economic pressure is particularly affecting cost-sensitive low-cost carriers. Withdrawal of international airlines The consequences of these conditions are already clearly visible.