March 16, 2020, 6:02 p.m.
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The federal government is considering closing airports in Germany due to the corona crisis. Baden-Württemberg plans to close operations at Stuttgart Airport, Karlsruhe / Baden-Baden and Friedrichshafen during the week.
© andreas-scheuer.de
Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) wants to keep large German airports such as Frankfurt and Munich open in the corona virus crisis. “We are working on maintaining the infrastructure, above all because of supply and logistics,” said Scheuer to the German press agency on Monday. “I am working closely with the countries and the airport operators on this issue.”
Baden-Württemberg, on the other hand, wants to cease operations at all airports. The Ministry of Transport announced on Monday. Vacationers and business travelers, however, will be able to return, said Minister of Transport Winfried Hermann (Greens). Air freight traffic will continue. “Basic aviation services will be maintained in any case.” Anyone entering the airport from risky areas should isolate themselves at home for 14 days.
As the German press agency learned from government circles in Stuttgart on Monday, the decision is to come into force later this week. Scheduled flight operations at the airports in Stuttgart, Karlsruhe / Baden-Baden and Friedrichshafen are thus at the disposition. Together, the state’s three commercial airports handled around 14 million passengers last year.
Different starting situations
Along with North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg is the federal state most affected by the spread of the coronavirus. By Sunday, 977 infections had been confirmed by the authorities in Baden-Württemberg. Three demonstrably infected people have died so far.
The states of Lower Saxony and Bremen are currently not planning to close their airports due to the coronavirus pandemic. The state governments announced this on Monday on request. Lower Saxony wants to keep the transport infrastructure functional, it said in the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Hanover. There was no such request from the state government’s crisis team.
There is no sign of a lock at Frankfurt Airport. On the contrary. Now even the night flight ban is being softened. Take-offs and landings should also be possible at night, said the Hessian Transport Minister Tarek Al-Wazir (Greens) on Monday. “We are in an exceptional situation. It is therefore important to maintain flight operations around the clock for the take-offs and landings affected by the Corona virus.” For Germany’s largest airport there is usually a night flight ban from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
The ban on night flights has also been temporarily lifted at Berlin Tegel Airport due to the Corona crisis. With the measure, the state of Berlin claims to ensure that all Berliners can be brought home without unnecessary detours, it said. The night flight ban will remain suspended until March 22nd.
In order to bring holidaymakers back to Germany during the Corona crisis and to secure supplies, Transport Minister Scheuer is now campaigning elsewhere for a relaxation of the night flight ban. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Transport said in Berlin on Monday that it was for “maximum flexibility” to handle. Decisions are made locally.
Freight air traffic should fly without restrictions
Above all, it is about unscheduled flights and also air freight, which are increasing due to restrictions on shipping traffic – for example from China. In a message from Monday, the Ministry thanked the federal states for “the very short-term support for maximum flexibility with exemptions from the night flight ban» “
At the same time, the Federal Government has agreed to support the aviation industry in the coronavirus crisis. The aviation industry was exposed to a tough stress test unexpectedly and through no fault of its own, said the federal government’s aerospace coordinator, Thomas Jarzombek (CDU). Aviation is at the forefront in terms of Corona’s time impact on the economy. However, there is no special help.
Jarzombek emphasized the systemic relevance of air traffic, which should not come to a complete standstill. At least cargo air traffic must be fully maintained during the current coronavirus crisis.
Cargo flights are of great importance for other industries not coming to a standstill, said Jarzombek after an aviation industry crisis meeting at the Federal Ministry of Economics on Monday.
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