“No longer serious” – Ryanair leaves Bremen Airport after a heated dispute over fees

The Irish low-cost airline Ryanair is withdrawing from another location in Germany: the airline is ceasing operations at Bremen Airport, the state government of the Hanseatic city said on Wednesday. Economics Senator Kristina Vogt (Left) accused the company of making excessive demands in the negotiations over airport fees.

"Ryanair wanted to maintain the airport's services and the use of its infrastructure almost free of charge," explained Vogt's office. "As a result, the airport would make losses with every Ryanair passenger. Such a deal is not only disproportionate, but also no longer serious."

According to the information, the airport will lose around 400,000 passengers annually - that corresponds to a good fifth of the total passenger volume. “The loss hurts,” explained the Senator for Economic Affairs. "But we won't agree to a price that puts a permanent burden on the airport and violates state aid law."

Ryanair had previously significantly reduced the number of flights to Hamburg and Berlin and justified this with location fees that were too high. Instead, the airline expanded its offering at smaller airports. The Bremen government accuses the Irish company of targeting smaller airports to which less strict aid rules apply. The company also uses its market power to put operators under pressure.