Aid was distributed in accordance with the 2005 Guidelines, according to the Commission's statement.
German aviation is experiencing a slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, with high regulatory and tax costs causing airlines to redirect traffic to more favourable hubs abroad. This, in turn, is hindering Germany's aviation growth and competitiveness compared to neighbouring countries.
According to recent data, German airports welcomed approximately 211.92 million passengers in 2024. Although this figure represents a slight increase from 2014, it is still 15.4% below the pre-COVID-19 levels of 2019. Frankfurt Airport, Germany's largest, recorded about 16.7 million passengers by mid-2025, marking a significant rebound but not a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels.
The CEO of Frankfurt Airport made an announcement on Tuesday, stating that they anticipate up to 64 million passengers at the airport this year. This expectation, however, remains below the pre-COVID numbers observed in 2019.
The aviation industry is facing numerous challenges, including supply chain and production delays in aerospace manufacturing, which indirectly influence aviation recovery dynamics. Despite these challenges, the profit forecast for the current year remains unchanged.
However, the manager does not anticipate a full recovery for German aviation due to the high location costs. No specific strategies to address these challenges have been announced yet.
This situation reflects a broader industry struggle, with reduced passenger numbers persisting across German airports. The number of passengers at Germany's largest airport is still significantly lower than pre-pandemic levels.
Sources:
- Aviation Week Network
- Frankfurt Airport
- German Aviation Association
- International Air Transport Association
- The high location costs in the German industry are causing concern for business leaders, particularly in the finance sector, as they anticipate a slow recovery for public-transit systems like public-transit transportation.
- Despite the ongoing challenges in the aviation industry, including concerns about supply chain and production delays in finance, the aviation finance sector has maintained its profit forecast for the current year.
- The slow recovery of German aviation, with reduced passenger numbers persisting across German airports, is also impacting the transportation industry, causing a ripple effect on related businesses.
