The governing CDU/CSU and SPD parliamentary groups in the German Bundestag have launched a comprehensive parliamentary initiative to counteract the persistent structural lag of Germany as an aviation location in comparison to other European countries.
In a 19-point resolution entitled "Securing the Future of Aviation in Germany and Europe," spearheaded by the coalition parties, the German government is called upon to systematically review and reduce state-imposed operating costs in civil aviation. This initiative comes against the backdrop of alarming industry statistics: While the overall European market has long since surpassed its pre-pandemic passenger and seat volumes, capacities at German airports remain significantly below historical levels. As a direct consequence of the sharply increased fees and taxes, international airlines, particularly European point-to-point carriers like Ryanair, are reducing their presence at German hubs and relocating aircraft to more cost-effective neighboring countries. The resolution, which complements the recent federal aviation strategy, aims to increase regulatory pressure on the cabinet to safeguard the long-term international competitiveness of German airports and airlines through concrete relief measures.
Structural decoupling from the European growth trend and capacity deficits
Statistical surveys conducted by aviation associations paint a clear picture of a progressive, geographically distinct trend in European airspace. In the first half of this year, the cumulative seat capacity at German commercial airports reached only 89 percent of the 2019 figure. In stark contrast, the rest of Europe saw average growth during the same period, reaching 113 percent of pre-pandemic levels. This significant gap of 24 percentage points marks the fourth consecutive year of continuous decline in German market share. Consequently, Germany ranks among the lowest in European capacity coverage rankings among the surveyed air traffic nations.
A key indicator of the declining attractiveness of Germany as an airport location is the basing of aircraft belonging to so-called low-cost carriers and point-to-point airlines. According to current data from the German Aviation Association (BDL), the number of aircraft of this category permanently based in Germany has fallen from 190 in 2019 to just 130 today. The airlines are reacting to the changed economic conditions. Large carriers like Ryanair have already taken far-reaching measures, withdrawing significant portions of their fleets from major airports such as Berlin Brandenburg Airport to shift capacity to markets like Italy, Spain, and Poland, where regulatory frameworks allow for more cost-effective flight operations.
The dynamics of government-induced location costs as a key barrier
The aviation industry identifies the drastic increase in government-imposed cost components as the main reason for the continued decline in air traffic. These fees include the national air traffic tax, air security fees, air traffic control fees charged by the German Air Navigation Services (DFS), and regulated airport charges. According to calculations by the German Aviation Association (BDL), these fiscal burdens totaled approximately €4,3 billion in 2025. Compared to 2020, this represents almost a doubling of the cost burden within just five years.
The specific impact on the operating costs of a flight can be seen in model calculations by the German Airports Association. For operating a standard intra-European scheduled flight with a typical medium-haul aircraft from Stuttgart Airport, the association's economists calculated a government tax burden of €4926 for the year 2025. This amount is more than double the level of 2019. These fixed costs per flight movement make it particularly difficult to operate short-haul flights and decentralized direct connections outside the major hubs of Frankfurt and Munich economically viable. While the air traffic tax will be slightly reduced as agreed on July 1st, the associations and now also the coalition parties are calling for a continuous evaluation to determine whether this adjustment is sufficient to halt the downward trend in continental air traffic.
Political control mechanisms and the compromise nature of the proposal
The choice of a resolution as a parliamentary instrument underscores the complexity of aviation policy. Since the structuring of location costs cannot be reformed by a single, central law, but rather depends on a multitude of departmental decisions, budget allocations from the Federal Ministry of Finance, and European directives, the resolution primarily serves as a political indicator. While not legally binding on the Cabinet, it creates considerable parliamentary pressure on the responsible Ministries of Digital Affairs, Transport, and Economic Affairs.
The final text of the motion reflects a classic political compromise between the coalition partners. While business associations and the CDU's Economic Council had previously called for the complete and unconditional abolition of the air passenger tax to generate an immediate boost to growth, the parliamentary groups of the CDU/CSU and SPD agreed on the more moderate wording of continuous review and impact evaluation. Further demands for a complete tax exemption for the sector failed to gain a majority in the joint motion. Nevertheless, the initiative is seen within the industry as an important signal that the political leadership in Berlin has recognized the economic threat to the aviation sector and the risk of permanent isolation from the international transport network. The upcoming budget negotiations will reveal the extent to which the motion's declarations of intent will translate into actual financial relief in the federal budget.