Budget airline Ryanair is tightening its operations across Germany, confirming large-scale reductions in its 2025/26 winter schedule.
The Dublin-based carrier told industry portal Airliners.de that hundreds of flights across the country will be cancelled, including a significant number from Bavaria.
According to the airline, the decision is linked mainly to rising aviation taxes and location costs imposed in Germany — a factor that has made operations less profitable in recent months.
The airline stated that “significant cutbacks are planned almost everywhere in Germany,” though no detailed list of routes has yet been released.
Three periods affected – but Christmas season remains intact
The winter adjustments will take place during three key phases:
- the last three weeks of November,
- the first two weeks of December, and
- the final three weeks of January.
Interestingly, the Christmas holiday period will not be affected, but certain route reductions may continue until March 2026, according to Airliners.de.
Bavaria’s Memmingen faces steep reductions
Among all German airports, Memmingen Airport (Allgäu Airport) in Bavaria appears to be hit the hardest. Ryanair is reportedly removing up to 27 weekly connections, a reduction of roughly one quarter of its planned winter capacity.
Currently, Ryanair serves 24 European destinations from Memmingen, but with the cuts, travelers can expect a noticeably thinner flight schedule from the Allgäu region this winter.
Other major airports also face reductions
The planned cuts are not limited to regional airports. Airliners.de reports that in November around 4% of all scheduled Ryanair flights from Germany will be cancelled. That number rises to 6% in December and up to 30% in January — the most drastic reduction period.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport could lose 76 out of 246 weekly flights, while Cologne/Bonn Airport may see 44 fewer connections. These cuts suggest a broad effort by Ryanair to reduce exposure in the German market during low-demand months.
Wizz Air also plans winter cuts from Germany
Ryanair is not alone in scaling back. Rival Wizz Air reportedly plans to reduce frequencies from several German airports as well, including Memmingen, according to aviation portal Aerotelegraph.
Affected routes include Sofia, Suceava, Budapest, and Skopje, though the airport has not yet issued an official confirmation. Both carriers have cited operational cost pressures and seasonal demand shifts as the main reasons behind their winter schedule adjustments.
