Fewer aircraft and staff: Easyjet is thinning out the BER location

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An Easyjet machine at BER: "The proposed adjustments are absolutely necessary"

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Patrick Pleul / dpa

The airline Easyjet wants to significantly reduce its location at the capital's airport BER.

From the winter, eleven instead of 18 aircraft will be stationed there, as the company announced on Tuesday.

Of the approximately 800 flight attendants and pilots, around 275 are said to "possibly" go.

The background is the "high and increasing" airport fees and a weaker than expected recovery in demand after the corona crisis in Germany.

The implementation of the plans is now to be discussed with the staff representatives of the cabin crew and the pilots.

"The proposed adjustments are not due to our employees and their work in Germany," said Germany boss Stephan Erler: "However, they are absolutely necessary in order to lead the entire business development to long-term success." So far, Easyjet was considered the largest provider at BER .

The Brandenburg Ministry of Economic Affairs expressed surprise.

»I very much regret this, especially with regard to employees who may be affected.

I therefore hope that the further talks can bring about opportunities for improvement," said State Secretary Hendrik Fischer.

Airport makes significant losses

At Berlin Brandenburg International Airport, operations are difficult to get going anyway.

A few weeks ago, the operating company Flughafengesellschaft Berlin Brandenburg (FBB) announced an annual loss of 570 million euros.

The shortfall was halved compared to the previous year.

But the FBB still does not earn enough to fully finance its own operations.

sol/dpa-afx