German aviation report warns of decoupling from international traffic

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the German Airlines Association (BDL) released a joint economic report analysing up to 15 years of developments in Germany's air transport sector, with Dr. Markus Fischer saying it offers a fact‑based basis for discussing the industry's future and Dr. Joachim Lang warning of a gradual decoupling from international air traffic and a shift of passengers and freight to non‑EU hubs.

The report notes that in 2024 the German aviation and aerospace industry generated €58.4 billion in gross value added, supported about 536,900 jobs and contributed roughly 1.3 percent of Germany's GDP; it also records an 18 percent drop in destinations at major German airports compared with 2019, a rise in non‑EU hub connections to East and Southeast Asia from 34 percent to 54 percent, and a fall in German hub connections on the same routes from 56 percent to 36 percent.