German hubs lose share of flights to Far East, Southeast Asia as non‑EU routes rise

In 2024, 54 percent of flights from Germany to the Far East and Southeast Asia used non‑EU hubs, up from about 44 percent in 2019 and 34 percent in 2010, according to a BDL study.

The share of those flights routed through Munich and Frankfurt each fell from roughly 56 percent in 2010 to about 36 percent in 2024, and flights to Africa are also increasingly landing at non‑European hubs; the study links the shift to higher costs from EU environmental regulations, notably the European Emissions Trading System, while BDL chief executive Joachim Lang calls for lower location costs and level‑playing climate rules.