Baerbock takes plane after European Championship match despite night flight ban
In Frankfurt, flights are banned after 11 p.m., including during the European Football Championship. This did not prevent Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock from boarding a German military aircraft to Luxembourg after the Germany-Switzerland match. Even her Green party friends on site might not have been thrilled.
After the Germany-Switzerland EURO 2024 match in Frankfurt, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had herself flown by the Bundeswehr air force to Luxembourg - despite the night flight ban. The authorities recognized the "public interest" in granting an exception to the night flight ban, as the Hessian Economic Ministry informed the "Bild" newspaper in response to an inquiry.
In Luxembourg, Baerbock attended the EU Foreign Ministers' Meeting the following morning, and her aircraft was allowed to take off just before midnight. Normally, the night flight ban applies from 11 p.m., which the Greens in Hessen had particularly emphasized before the EURO.
Depending on the traffic, the distance of less than 300 kilometers could be covered by car in a few hours. The Greens in Hessen had particularly emphasized the train before the EURO. "For the fans, all EURO 2024 venues are perfectly connected to the railway network, and transportation with special trains will certainly be prepared by the railways," wrote the Green fraction in the Frankfurt City Hall in February. The fact that the UEFA focuses on transporting teams and fans by airplane "makes no sense and takes the efforts to make the tournament as climate-friendly and sustainable to absurd levels."
From Luxembourg to the Near East
The Greens had spoken out against relaxing the night flight ban for the EURO. The spokesperson for sports policy, Natascha Kauder, explained to the "Bild" that "the significance of the sports event cannot simply be used as an argument for the suspension of the night flight ban."
Baerbock had criticized short-haul flights during the Bundestag election campaign in 2021. However, she traveled further to the Near East the day after the EURO match from Luxembourg, as the Foreign Ministry confirmed to ntv.de. This means that the government aircraft had to fly to Luxembourg at some point, regardless of the night flight ban.
The FDP state legislator Stefan Naas criticized the "Bild": "That's how the Greens take their own base seriously. That's green hypocrisy at its finest: denying citizens the right to fly and then circumventing the night flight ban to fly from Frankfurt to Luxembourg. Distance: 184.36 kilometers. Really?"
- Despite the Green party in Hessen advocating for the use of trains during the EURO 2024 and the night flight ban in Frankfurt, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was flown by the Bundeswehr air force to Luxembourg after the Germany-Switzerland match.
- Annalena Baerbock attended the EU Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Luxembourg the following morning, and her aircraft was allowed to take off just before midnight, as the night flight ban was considered to have a "public interest" exception due to her travel.
- The Greens, including Annalena Baerbock, had vocalized their opposition to short-haul flights during political campaigns, but she traveled further to the Near East the day after the EURO match from Luxembourg.
- The Greens' stance on climate protection, including the reduction of air travel, has been criticized by political opponents like the FDP state legislator Stefan Naas, who described it as "green hypocrisy" due to their use of government aircraft for long-distance travel.
