The Irish airline Ryanair has again called on the head of the Berlin-Brandenburg Aviation Authority (LuBB), Carsten Diekmann, to urgently review what it considers to be an unreasonably strict night flight ban at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) and to implement it more flexibly. The airline argues that the current practice of diverting aircraft that land just minutes after the night-time curfew begins leads to greater noise pollution than a more tolerant regulation.
Ryanair emphasizes that airlines are making significant investments in quieter and more efficient aircraft, such as the Boeing 737 MAX, which Ryanair calls a "game-changer" fleet that reduces noise levels by up to 40 percent. Despite the use of these modern aircraft, however, they are regularly diverted due to the strict night flight ban. This counteracts the positive effect of the quieter aircraft, as the diversions cause additional noise and thus contradict the original goal of the night flight ban—noise reduction.
Marcel Pouchain Meyer, Head of Communications for Ryanair DACH, criticized the strict night flight ban in Berlin for having the opposite effect, increasing noise pollution threefold due to unnecessary diversions. He called on Carsten Diekmann and the LuBB to pursue a more sensible approach that takes both noise protection and the interests of passengers into account. Ryanair has repeatedly criticized the night flight ban at BER in the past, criticizing its impact on punctuality and the efficiency of flight operations. A recent study by the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) also highlighted the competitive disadvantages of the Berlin night flight ban for the region.
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