Is the German system of regional airports economically sustainable? A new study denies that. Worse still: The coronavirus pandemic and its consequences are exacerbating the economic crisis at most airports. A wave of bankruptcies threatens.
As a result of the Corona crisis, several subsidized regional airports in Germany could be facing bankruptcy. In the short term, the existence of seven of the 14 regional airports examined is threatened, warns a study that the Ecological-Social Market Economy Forum has drawn up for the environmental organization BUND and that is available to the "Süddeutsche Zeitung".
In the medium term, even twelve of the airports that rely on substantial state aid are threatened with closure. The study rates the prospects for Frankfurt-Hahn, Kassel-Calden, Niederrhein-Weeze, Paderborn / Lippstadt, Rostock-Laage, Erfurt-Weimar and Saarbrücken airports as particularly critical.
System not economically sustainable
The corona crisis is only part of the problem: With 24 main airports, including the regional airports, massive overcapacities in air traffic have been built up in Germany, the paper continues. The country's major international airports are no more than 100 minutes away by train from the smaller locations.
In addition to more intense competition, there would be tougher guidelines from politics: for years now, most of the small airports in Germany have only been able to survive with high subsidies. The EU had already decided in 2014 that the compensation of operating losses with taxpayers' money would finally have to end in 2024, and low-cost airlines are withdrawing from regional airports. Ryanair threatened to withdraw from the German airports Frankfurt-Hahn and Weeze.
The conclusion of the analysis by the environmental organization is that the system of regional airports is not economically sustainable, not needs-based and is questionable in terms of climate policy. The authors are now calling for an airport concept from the federal government and the definition of only eight airports that are really needed – a third of today's number.
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