Whether the results are as expected or against all hopes, in its hearing today, the German federal superior administrative court in Leipzig has let stand the FRA night flight ban order, as issued by the Hessian court. The time for whipping up protest and painting the picture of dire consequences is over, as real as those consequences are.
     FlyingTypers recently reported on the Lufthansa Cargo annual press conference held two weeks ago, and the categorical statements by its executive board that the company’s success depended on express shipments processed at FRA hub; as Herr Garnadt said, FRA is “indispensable and irreplaceable for the carrier, as viable alternatives cannot be replicated in the short term, nor freighters separated from cargo carrying passenger aircraft.”
     In soccer, one talks about an own goal, or ‘eigentor’, in German, when a defender inadvertently kicks the ball into his team’s goal to its obvious detriment; has Germany just done that with FRA? Or is Lufthansa Cargo the ultimate unintended victim in this case because of its reliance on FRA?
     A number of options have been mentioned and, according to its press release, Hahn Airport, some 115 kilometers from Frankfurt, hasn’t been shy to again offer itself as a viable alternative. Let’s look at the facts: Aeroflot Cargo has been using Hahn as its European hub for the last ten years and Etihad Crystal Cargo since 2007, but their respective passenger flights are at Frankfurt’s Rhein Main airport. While that may indeed work well for those carriers, the physical separation between cargo and passenger flights and additional time to cover the distance will definitely add cost at a critical time and amid a competitive landscape for Lufthansa Cargo.
     Hahn rightfully touts its accomplishments as a major airport: the 10th largest passenger and 4th largest German cargo airport, a newly completed four lane expressway connecting it to the German interstate network, 200 million Euro investments in airport infrastructure, and significant further expansion potential backed by bipartisan support in the state house. It all makes sense, but is it a fools’ errand? Will airlines, forwarders, handlers, and private investors rush again to build up a sophisticated cargo hub, only to see it all go to waste in a few years’ time? Because it is no longer the government deciding on what goes and what doesn’t; in the days of citizen protest (seen almost daily at FRA), it is the courts that have the last word. Not a good situation if you are trying to run a world-class business in a public climate that seems to be impervious to the economic impact—and, apparently, the national interest along with it.
     Airport noise is clearly a factor, but does someone really benefit from a quiet night’s sleep and no job in the morning? Is that the trade off in the 21st century? It seems many things have gone wrong over the years, and politicians and business in equal measure have evidently underestimated the PR work and dialogue with the citizens living around the airport. For now, it doesn’t look like there are any winners.
     No surprise then that Lufthansa German Airlines’ CEO, Christoph Franz, and Karl Ulrich Garnadt, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo, conducted a press conference with ample TV coverage shortly after the Leipzig verdict was announced. In a first assessment, Christoph Franz said that the court decision represents a significant economic hit for Germany in general and the Rhein Main area around Frankfurt in particular— today is clearly a dark day. It remains to be seen how the customers will react, a sentiment reinforced by Mr. Garnadt. The effect is seen more as a body blow than any kind of crippling ailment, in as much as the carrier has been living with the FRA curfew for a number of months, yet continues to generate positive results. Not quite as good as they could be without the curfew, but nevertheless, the machine carries on.
     Admittedly, there are concerns about other European airports (such as Amsterdam and Paris) siphoning off some cargo that would otherwise be handled in Frankfurt, but no panic. Any talk and speculation about moving the freighter operations elsewhere are not only premature, but have absolutely no substance in light of the unique capabilities which exist at FRA. Operations will continue as before, customer input will be taken in and evaluated, the flight schedule could be tweaked, but essentially, life goes on.
     In response to FlyingTypers‘ questions, Matthias Eberle (left), who took over the post of Director of Communications for Lufthansa Cargo effective April 1 with an immediate and urgent call to duty, said: “The legal situation is such that the Leipzig court decision de facto puts the matter back into the hands of the Hessian court. While no one expects a reversal in the foreseeable future, it does provide Lufthansa with the opportunity to formally be heard and voice its concerns for the first time, something that was not the case in the course of the initial procedures.”
     Matthias reiterated the views expressed by many outside Germany who simply cannot comprehend how a nation that is a world leader in exports would hamper itself to such a degree. The situation is compounded by the current public outcry that ensued since the new landing runway opened at FRA. While several areas around the airport have experienced relief once flights were moved from the “old” runways to the new one, no one is lining up to say ‘thanks’. Instead, the communities affected by the new approach pattern are demonstrating their displeasure and dismay, which influences politics and who knows—maybe even the court. And the party most impacted by all this, Lufthansa Cargo, had actually little if nothing to do with that, but it is all lost in the breathless, hysterical opposition to the airport.
Ted Braun