Monday, December 27, 2021
Corona return flight costs
Ministry: Thousands of bills open
At the beginning of the corona pandemic, the federal government is bringing German citizens back home from abroad. The returnees must contribute to the flight costs. The Foreign Office is still sitting on many bills that have not been paid.
Almost two years after the largest return campaign in the history of the Federal Republic at the beginning of the corona pandemic, thousands of bills are still open. Around 7,000 of the more than 54,000 payment notices sent by the Federal Foreign Office to the passengers on the 260 rescue flights have not yet been paid or not yet paid, as the dpa learned from the ministry.
For the most part, the payment deadline is still running or payment in installments has been agreed. In 1200 cases, however, the ministry had to initiate dunning proceedings. Many passengers argue against participation in the costs in court. Of the original 201 lawsuits, 135 are still pending.
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas started the campaign on March 17, 2020 together with tour operators and airlines after many countries closed borders and cut flight connections at short notice. A total of about 240,000 travelers were returned. The tour operators themselves flew the tourists who had booked with them free of charge. The Federal Foreign Office chartered planes for individual travelers and other people wishing to return, which made 260 flights and brought back around 67,000 people from around 65 countries by the end of April.
From June onwards, the returnees were asked to pay. The total costs were then estimated at 93.8 million euros, almost 40 percent of which should be borne by the flight passengers themselves. So far, 54,306 invoices for a total of 31.7 million euros have been sent in Germany. So far, 28.6 million euros have been received from this. Around 500 invoices to German citizens abroad still have to be sent.
The Federal Foreign Office is expecting four million euros from other countries to take their citizens with them. In addition, Germany received EU grants of 38.1 million. The bottom line is that the Federal Foreign Office assumes that it will get back 70 to 75 percent of the cost of the return campaign.