BDF: Recovery rate of Germany's aviation sector expected to stall at 89% in 1H2026
Federal Association of German Airlines (BDF) expressed (10-Nov-2025) concerns that the recovery rate of Germany's aviation sector will remain below 90% in 2025, compared to 2019, and is not expected to change in 1H2026. BDF stated: "The recovery rate in seating capacity will remain at 89% in 1H2026, while the recovery in the rest of Europe will increase further from 108% to 112%. This will also widen the growth gap between Europe and Germany, reaching a new high of 23 percentage points". [more - original PR]
Background ✨
Germany's aviation sector has lagged behind the rest of Europe in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily due to high government-imposed taxes and fees, which have more than doubled since 2019 and are projected to increase further in 2025. This situation has led airlines to relocate capacity to other markets, resulting in job losses and reduced economic value for Germany, while the rest of Europe has surpassed pre-pandemic traffic levels1 2 3.