Business in the metropolitan region demands: New federal government must make air traffic competitive

Joint statement by the "Air Transport Initiative":

The Berlin-Brandenburg Air Transport Initiative is calling on the next federal government to take concrete measures to improve the competitiveness of the location in national and international comparison. This includes the abolition of the air traffic tax. With regard to aviation security and air traffic control charges, it is calling for Germany to align itself with the European average. Bureaucracy and over-regulation, such as passenger checks, must be reduced. Bi- and multilateral aviation agreements need to be adapted, particularly with regard to BER. More flexibility is needed - from both an economic and ecological point of view - with regard to the ban on night flights in the event of delayed scheduled flights. These points are part of the Air Transport Initiative's current position paper, which was presented today.

The initiative is also critical of the German government going it alone with regard to blending quotas for electricity-based fuels (PtL). These lead to a disadvantage in international comparison and should therefore be withdrawn. Instead, the Aviation Initiative believes it would be more expedient to make the production of sustainable fuels (SAF) more attractive with incentive systems.

For the German economy, efficient air transport is an important location factor. However, government costs and regulations are causing Germany to fall behind the international competition as an aviation location. In a European comparison, Germany and the Berlin-Brandenburg airport region perform below average.

Jens Warnken, President of the Cottbus Chamber of Industry and Commerce for the Brandenburg Chambers of Industry and Commerce: "Berlin-Brandenburg BER Airport needs better conditions for air traffic in order to be able to compete with its direct airport neighbors in other European countries. The last German government has made flying from Germany disproportionately more expensive by increasing the air traffic tax and other airport-related taxes several times. This will be compounded next year by the mandatory blending of green, environmentally friendly SAF kerosene. This fuel for aircraft is not produced in sufficient quantities in Germany. In addition, a liter is currently still ten times more expensive than conventional aviation fuel. As a result, German ticket prices have risen massively and will continue to rise, and German passengers are migrating to airports in Prague, Wroclaw and Warsaw because they can save up to several hundred euros per ticket there. Fewer passengers at BER means fewer aircraft stationed at BER and a threat to jobs. The new federal government should react to this state-induced undesirable development and noticeably improve the location costs again."

Robert Rückel, Vice President IHK Berlin: "Air traffic is booming in Europe, but not in Germany. At BER in particular, the supply is far below the pre-crisis level and the number of long-haul connections is still an indictment for a capital city. However, an attractive range of flight connections is vital not only for tourism and the trade fair business, but for all companies in the region. That is why our demand to the new federal government is: less regulation and, above all, an end to the structural disadvantage of the metropolitan region. There is also an urgent need for more flexibility in the ban on night flights, so that planes delayed by just a few minutes do not have to take off with a lot of noise and kerosene emissions and switch to other airports. If we don't provide a boost now, the capital region will remain the laggard in Europe."

Aletta von Massenbach, CEO Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH: "The very high state taxes and fees compared to the rest of Europe are hampering the development of the airport and therefore the capital region and eastern Germany. The economy and passengers are clearly feeling the consequences. The demand for flights is still high, but the supply to other metropolitan regions in Europe has declined. Airlines prefer to base their aircraft in other EU countries and operate routes outside Germany. Without significant relief in terms of air traffic tax and other state burdens, the adequate connection of the business, cultural and tourism location to Europe and the world is at risk."

The demands in detail

Reduction of costs at the aviation location

From the perspective of the Aviation Initiative, the greatest lever for improving the political framework conditions is the abolition or at least a significant reduction of the aviation tax. Aviation security and air traffic control charges must also be aligned with the European average in order to eliminate competitive disadvantages. The air traffic tax in Germany was only raised by over 20 percent in May 2024. An airline flying from a European airport with a Boeing 787-9 to New York, for example, pays an average of 4,392 euros in taxes and surcharges. A flight from Frankfurt am Main or Munich to the East Coast metropolis, on the other hand, costs a whopping 17,991 euros - around four times as much. Taxes and fees alone account for 30 euros of a flight ticket. This development is a considerable competitive disadvantage and is causing airlines to relocate their fleets abroad and cut jobs at German airports.

Incentive system for sustainable fuels

The availability of sustainable fuels, so-called Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), is also not making any progress. The inadequate production is problematic, as fixed blending quotas have been in place across Europe since January 1, 2025 and airlines face heavy fines if they fail to meet them. A target of six percent sustainable fuels has been set for 2030. From this date, CO2-neutral electricity-based fuels must be used in addition to biogenic sustainable fuels, initially with a share of 1.2 percent. In deviation from this regulation, however, Germany has already introduced a national sub-quota for e-kerosene of 0.5% from 2026 - a full four years earlier. Politicians must therefore support the production of sustainable fuels and think about new incentive systems. For example, a Europe-wide incentive system based on tax credits for SAF producers is conceivable. Germany should also give up its goal of being "best in class" among all EU countries in terms of sustainability standards. This puts the German economy at a disproportionate disadvantage compared to other countries with more moderate standards. The regulatory targets must be limited to the European level.

Adjusting the agreement on air traffic rights

Germany must not continue to lose competitiveness in international air traffic. The capital region in particular is dependent on a stable and expanded network of European and long-haul connections. There are currently just eight long-haul connections at BER Airport. Passengers are forced to book additional short flights to other hubs in order to reach international destinations. However, stopovers and detours mean more CO2 emissions in air traffic and cause unnecessary additional costs.

Existing bilateral and multilateral air traffic agreements (at EU level) must be adapted so that the needs of the people and the economy in Berlin and Brandenburg for long-haul flights (e.g. to China and the Middle East) can be met. The economy is suffering from the current situation, and international connectivity is often a decisive factor in the location decision for relocation projects.

Make night flight times more flexible and reduce bureaucracy

In order to avoid unnecessary diversion flights - due to the accumulation of delays during the day - in the evening or at night, more flexibility should be allowed in the marginal times of the night flight ban. Detour increase noise pollution for other communities and cause additional costs for travelers and airlines. A tightening of the night flight ban at BER Airport, as envisaged in the Brandenburg coalition agreement, is strongly discouraged. There is a real risk that BER will then lose further connections or airlines that have stationed their aircraft there. Restricting operating hours and the resulting loss of traffic would massively jeopardize the connectivity of the capital region and eastern Germany.

Further action is needed to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and excessive regulations Cost-driving requirements in particular, such as the disproportionately high staffing ratio for aviation security checks compared to other European countries, make it difficult for these locations to compete internationally and must be reduced.