The low-cost airline Easyjet has significantly reduced its presence in the German capital Berlin in recent years. Numerous aircraft were once stationed in both Tegel and Schönefeld.

In the wake of Air Berlin's bankruptcy, Easyjet secured numerous slots, as well as aircraft, in Tegel. They took over many routes that were previously served by Air Berlin and suddenly became the top dog in Tegel. The base at the rather unpopular Schönefeld Airport was continued, so that at times there were two bases in the German capital. However, it was clear that this would not be a permanent situation, because it was certain that Tegel Airport would close. Only when it came to “when” did anyone dare to predict it, because a lot of things went wrong with the project over many years.

In the middle of the Corona pandemic, Berlin-Brandenburg Airport was closed - years late. eröffnet. Due to a lack of demand, which was due to the entry and quarantine regulations, which were sometimes completely meaningless, air traffic was only on a low-pressure basis. Easyjet was also affected. But the current BER base never again reached the size that was added up in Tegel and Schönefeld “before Corona”.

Initially, there were only 18 Airbus jets stationed. In the meantime you even have reduced to eleven copies. Of course that doesn't work without that many routes were canceled. For example, you serve the Vienna route no longer. The red pencil has also been applied to domestic German traffic - and particularly heavily - because the former race tracks Stuttgart and Cologne/Bonn no longer exist at Easyjet. However, one did some time ago opened its own maintenance hangar on the BER site.

Behind the hardly noticeable reduction in the presence at BER Airport - and at German airports in general - is that the orange-colored low-cost airline is of the opinion that the costs incurred by airlines in Germany are too high. At Berlin-Brandenburg Airport in particular, the reason for downsizing the base was that the fees that had to be paid to the airport were too high. The aviation tax, which is to be increased on May 1, 2024 to improve the state budget, is also likely to make its contribution in such a way that Easyjet prefers to use the capacity from other countries that levy lower taxes and fees.

However, Easyjet does not want to talk about a complete withdrawal from Berlin or even from Germany. Just last Friday, a kind of ceremony was held together with the BER management and celebrated 20 years of presence in the German capital. The carrier acknowledged Berlin. At the same time, it was suggested that rail connections should be improved so that there are more trains from large cities to BER without having to change.