ADAC flight analysis: Taxes and fees drive up prices

An ADAC analysis of around 120 flight connections shows that flying in Germany is particularly expensive. This is due not only to high taxes, but also to the lack of competition.

Government taxes and fees drive up ticket prices, especially from Frankfurt/Main, Munich, and Düsseldorf. At around €74 for government taxes on a domestic flight, passengers in Frankfurt am Main pay the highest amount in Germany. The average is €52. The cheapest departure is from Cologne/Bonn, at around €36.

Even compared to other European countries and for international flights, Germany charges high taxes and fees: For a flight from Frankfurt, the taxes and fees amount to around €59. Only Amsterdam has higher taxes and fees, at almost €63. After Frankfurt, three other German airports stand out with less than moderate taxes: Munich (around €49), Düsseldorf (€46), and Hanover (€42).

Little competition means high prices

At the same time, the ADAC also examined domestic and European connections. 73 percent of the domestic German routes examined were available as direct flights. Eight connections were only possible with a transfer, often associated with a significant price premium: These flights cost an average of around €300, while direct connections cost only around €76. 87 percent of domestic German connections were offered by Lufthansa or its subsidiary Eurowings. Therefore, the automobile club describes a "limited competitive situation" in its press release.

The intra-European offering is significantly more diverse: Around 92 percent of the routes were available without a transfer, and often several airlines were available to choose from. Price comparisons are particularly worthwhile here. While traditional airlines like Lufthansa or Air France charge significantly higher prices, low-cost carriers like EasyJet offer the same routes for sometimes less than half the price.

Rapid price changes

The study also shows that airfares within Germany can become significantly more expensive within just a few weeks. For example, the ticket price for a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Berlin rose from around €86 to over €430 in the three-month survey period – a fivefold increase. Price increases of two to three times were also observed on other routes. In addition, the composition of ticket prices is often difficult for consumers to understand. Many airlines display taxes and surcharges inconsistently or not at all.

On behalf of its members and consumers, the ADAC therefore expects airlines to present their price components in a consistent and transparent manner and to clearly state refundable fees for non-departures. The association calls on politicians to reconsider their air travel fee policy and convert the air travel tax into a dedicated levy, for example, to promote sustainable aviation fuels.

(thy)

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