Lufthansa has warned it may reduce or cancel flights from several German airports as rising costs make certain routes unprofitable. CEO Jens Ritter told Funke media group that the airline is reviewing services from Bremen, Dresden, Cologne, Leipzig, Münster, Nuremberg, and Stuttgart, the Bild reports.

“If routes become unprofitable, we are forced to cut them and use aircraft elsewhere,” Ritter said, sharply criticizing the government for failing to deliver on promises of relief for the aviation sector.

The coalition agreement between CDU/CSU and SPD had originally included commitments to lower fees and avoid raising the aviation tax. Instead, since May 2024, taxes on flights departing Germany have increased sharply: from €12.48 to €15.53 on short-haul routes, from €31.61 to €39.34 on medium-haul routes, and from €56.91 to €70.83 on long-haul tickets.

Lufthansa argues that the higher costs are making flights from Germany less competitive compared to other European hubs, putting regional airports in particular at risk. Ritter expressed frustration that the draft federal budget for 2026 includes no measures to ease the burden on airlines.

The airline has not yet announced specific cancellations but warned that reductions could affect connectivity for passengers in several German cities if the cost pressure continues.

Ryanair is ceasing operations in three major German cities, Dortmund, Dresden, and Leipzig, as part of a significant reduction in its presence in the country. Other airlines, such as Easyjet, are also scaling back their flight offerings from Germany.