“Penalties are too low”
Wissing wants to punish intrusion into airport security areas as a criminal offense
November 11, 2023, 8:03 a.m
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Climate activists repeatedly manage to break into the security area of German airports. “It’s not a trivial matter to paralyze flight operations,” says Federal Transport Minister Wissing – and calls for harsher penalties.
The federal government wants to make German airports safer and treat intrusion into security areas as a criminal offense in the future. “The penalties for entering the security area of airports are too low,” said Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing to the newspapers of the Funke media group. “Anyone who intentionally encroaches on airport premises endangers people’s safety and causes significant economic damage.” Wissing demanded that this should be prosecuted as a criminal offense in the future. “In my opinion, there should actually be a prison sentence for this, or at least a hefty fine.”
Wissing explained that, together with Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann, he asked the Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, who is responsible for this, to make a proposal for a corresponding change to the Aviation Security Act. Faeser replied that she was “happy to take up this initiative”. The Funke newspapers have received a corresponding letter from the Interior Minister, which was received by the Ministry of Transport on November 9th.
Previously a misdemeanor
This was preceded by actions by climate activists in the security areas of several German airports and a hostage-taking at Hamburg airport. “Now it is important not to waste any time and to quickly adapt the aviation security law,” said Wissing. “It’s not a trivial matter to paralyze flight operations. You can’t brush that off with a fine.” According to the current legal situation, this would only be punished as an administrative offense with a fine of up to 10,000 euros.
Buschmann told the Funke newspapers: “Intruding and blocking airports causes great damage and is dangerous. It is therefore only logical that the federal government is now examining the introduction of a corresponding offense in the Aviation Security Act. Our constitutional state is strong.”
Wissing also called on airport operators to review their security concepts. “There is never 100 percent security – not even at airports,” he said. “What has now happened in Hamburg must be a reason for all airport operators to review their own security concepts and make adjustments if there are opportunities for improvement.”