Ryanair’s decision to close its Brandenburg base in Germany will lead to the end of direct flights from Tallinn to Berlin in October 2026. Tallinn Airport hopes that, in addition to airBaltic, a new airline will join the route next summer.
Eero Pärgmäe, a member of the management board of Tallinn Airport, said the Tallinn–Berlin route will not be left without service — the issue will be pricing.
At the end of April this year, low-cost airline Ryanair announced that it would close its Berlin base in October and cut its Berlin connections by half during the winter season. The company cited high airport fees and other costs as the reason.
Travel news portal trip.ee noted that Ryanair’s last flight from Tallinn to Berlin will depart on October 24. AirBaltic also operates direct flights from Tallinn to Berlin, but only during the summer season.
“Currently we have airBaltic and Ryanair on the Berlin route, both flying four times a week,” Pärgmäe said.
“Berlin is a very seasonal market. In winter, there have been only two weekly frequencies, and in summer eight — so the Berlin market is heavily skewed toward leisure travelers. I don’t think we’ll see a major problem in winter; the question is who we can bring onto the route for next summer.”
According to Pärgmäe, Germany is not an easy market for low-cost airlines because of its high taxes, which drive up cost bases. It is entirely logical that low-cost carriers adjust their business plans in Germany, and Ryanair’s decision to close the Berlin base is one step in that direction.
Another German airline, Eurowings, recently launched a route from Tallinn to Düsseldorf, and its start has been in line with expectations in terms of financial performance. “I think Berlin is a relatively attractive and well-known destination from Estonia, and the flight distance is ideal — about one hour and forty-five minutes. There is a strong likelihood that some airline will show interest in Tallinn-Berlin next summer.”
Responding to ERR’s question about whether Ryanair’s decision indicates Tallinn is a peripheral destination that airlines might abandon — and whether more closures could be expected given the Middle East crisis — Pärgmäe said the Ryanair’s decision is not directly related to Tallinn. “If they don’t have a base in Berlin, they simply cannot serve Tallinn. AirBaltic has a base in Tallinn and can continue operating the Tallinn–Berlin route.”
At the same time, Pärgmäe acknowledged that airlines face more challenges this summer due to significantly higher jet fuel prices.
“Over the past month, prices have already come down from their peak. However, when tickets have been sold in advance at lower prices, it becomes economically difficult for airlines to operate those routes in summer, and that is why some connections have been reduced. Still, the reduction is on the order of about five percent of capacity. May was very strong at Tallinn Airport, with passenger numbers growing by over ten percent. Demand remains strong, and airlines are working hard to maintain routes and flights,” he noted.
“Two months ago, there were fears in Europe and around the world that jet fuel might run out in some places. At this point, that concern has largely been resolved — the only issue is price. The market is now looking more optimistically toward summer and fall than it was two months ago.”
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