Lufthansa Threatens Frankfurt Flight Reduction

December 13, 2016

The row between Lufthansa and Frankfurt Airport owner Fraport looks set to escalate as the airline threatens to reduce the number of flights it operates at the airport.

The German state of Hesse earlier this month approved Fraport’s proposal to increase fees to airlines, a move Lufthansa strongly opposes.

Fraport said fees will increase for most airlines but incentives will be given to new entrants such as low cost operator Ryanair.

Ryanair will add Frankfurt to its schedules next year as it ramps up moves to serve main airports rather than smaller less popular locations some distance from the cities they serve.

Lufthansa said earlier that “we feel that we have been put at a disadvantage in comparison with airlines that are new to flying out of Frankfurt. It can’t be possible for two airlines to fly the same route but pay different fees,” Lufthansa’s Harry Hohmeister said. “One of the consequences could be that we give up some routes.”

Lufthansa, the biggest airline operator at Frankfurt, accounting for two-thirds of all passengers said their charges will increase by 1.9 percent.

(Airwise)