
Airport charges
Airlines call for increased transparency
The airport fees that airlines are burdened with are excessively high at almost all German airports compared to international standards. They have reached an irresponsibly high level and are endangering the profitability of various flight routes, thereby also threatening a future-oriented development of German air traffic. More than 2,9 billion Euros are paid by airlines annually for the use of German airports, and currently, there is no end in sight to the upward trend. Examples for components of airport charges are fees for take-off, landing and parking of aircraft and further the use of facilities by passengers, including toilets and jetways. Another large cost burden are aviation security fees that amount to 1,2 billion Euros per year.
While airport operators continue to boost the cost spiral, a massive lack of transparency can be observed although it is actually required by law in § 19b LuftVG. For this reason, a more efficient administrative supervision of airport operators through public authorities is needed to achieve the goal of containing excessive price increases. Cost advantages obtained by airport operators must be forwarded to airlines.
Furthermore, the application of double standards by airport operators must be prohibited in favor of equal treatment of all airlines. Preferring or disadvantaging particular airlines is unacceptable and artificially facilitates a distortion of competition.