Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr has expressed concerns about the future of air transport in Germany. According to the head of the national airline, increasing airport taxes and new government regulations are forcing airlines to reduce routes. Spohr believes that this worrying trend will harm the German airline sector, as rising costs make it more difficult for airlines to maintain important air routes.

In an interview with Bild am Sonntag on October 13, 2024, Spohr said that the cancellations and route reductions are due to high fees imposed by the government, which have made German airports less competitive compared to their European counterparts. The Federal Association of the German Aviation Industry supports these claims, pointing out that royalties in Germany are much higher than in other European countries. For example, for a medium-haul flight, taxes now add around €30 per passenger, driving up costs for airlines.

“I am very concerned about the connectivity of our commercial sites. The extreme increase in air traffic costs for the state is leading to a further decline in services. More and more airlines are avoiding German airports or canceling important routes,” Spohr said.