Marabu Halts German Expansion, Focuses on Leipzig and Nuremberg
Marabu, based in Tallinn at Lennart Meri Airport, has announced a strategic shift in its expansion plans within Germany. The airline will halt its intended growth at Cologne/Bonn and Stuttgart Manfred Rommel airports, choosing not to add any additional aircraft to these bases. This decision comes amidst challenges related to the availability and cost of wet-leased aircraft, as well as rising airport infrastructure and air traffic control fees in Germany.
Originally, Marabu had planned to increase its presence in Cologne by adding a third aircraft and in Stuttgart with a fourth aircraft. However, due to limited availability of ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) leases and escalating operational costs, the airline has decided to maintain its current operations at both airports without further expansion. Instead, Marabu will concentrate on basing three planes at Leipzig/Halle Airport during the high season of 2025, reflecting a strategic realignment to areas with higher demand and better operational feasibility.
In addition to focusing on Leipzig, Marabu will introduce an additional Airbus A320-200neo at Nuremberg Airport at the start of the 2025 summer schedule. The airline identifies Nuremberg as a high-demand location, making it a priority for expansion. This move is part of Marabu’s broader strategy to offer flights to 16 holiday destinations around the Mediterranean next year, despite the setbacks in its original flight schedule plans.
A spokesperson for Marabu explained the adjustments, stating, “Due to the limited availability of aircraft and high demand for air travel in other European countries outside Germany, the availability of ACMI is more limited than expected in the original planning, which has an impact on the implementation of the original flight schedule.” Additionally, the spokesperson highlighted that rising airport infrastructure costs and air traffic control charges in Germany, which are already among the highest in Europe, have necessitated these changes. “Under these circumstances, and in line with the decisions of other airlines such as Ryanair, Eurowings, and Condor, Marabu has also had to adjust its flight schedule for the coming summer,” the statement added.
Marabu currently operates flights from Cologne/Bonn to Fuerteventura, Tenerife Sur, and Hurghada, and from Stuttgart to Fuerteventura, Tenerife Sur, Hurghada, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote. The airline also serves destinations in Spain and Egypt from Hamburg Helmut Schmidt and Nuremberg. With a fleet comprising seven in-house Airbus A320neo aircraft and two wet-leased A320-200s from Avion Express Malta and Heston Airlines, Marabu is well-positioned to adapt to the evolving market demands. The airline plans to add one more A320neo next month and aims to grow by four to five jets per year after 2024, with each summer adding between four and five aircraft on ACMI leases.
Marabu’s adjustments reflect a responsive approach to the dynamic aviation landscape, balancing growth ambitions with practical considerations of aircraft availability and operational costs. By reallocating resources to Leipzig/Halle and Nuremberg, the airline aims to optimize its service offerings and maintain competitiveness in the European charter market.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com