German aviation report finds declining international connectivity
A joint report by the German Aerospace Center and the country's aviation industry association says Germany's international air links have weakened since the pandemic, with transfer traffic shifting to hubs outside the EU.
Germany's standing in international air travel has weakened since the pandemic, according to a joint economic report from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Federal Association of the German Aviation Industry (BDL).
Frankfurt nearly matched its pre-crisis level for directly reachable destinations in 2024. Other large German airports stayed as much as 18 percent below theirs. In many places, flight frequencies and connections at off-peak times also fell.
Transfer connections are shifting to hubs outside the European Union. On routes between Germany and the Far East and Southeast Asia, their share rose from 34 percent in 2010 to 54 percent. Transfers through German hubs fell from 56 percent to 36 percent over the same period.
State-set costs for aviation have more than doubled at their peak since 2019 and average around 30 euros per passenger, the report says. Average ticket prices rose from just under 150 euros in 2010 to around 300 euros in 2024.
Sources
- aerotelegraph.comBDL und DLR: Luftverkehrsstandort Deutschland verliert an Anbindung