Kassel Airport: Only stationed aircraft to be withdrawn
Kassel Airport is losing the only aircraft stationed at the regional airport in Calden in northern Hesse. "Stationing the Sundair aircraft in Kassel was not planned for the coming summer," said the airport's Managing Director, Lars Ernst, on Wednesday in response to an inquiry from Deutsche Presse-Agentur. The airline Sundair will give up stationing an aircraft at the regional airport for the 2024 summer flight schedule, a spokesperson for the Hessian Ministry of Finance also confirmed. This had previously been reported by hessenschau.de.
"The airport and its shareholders were not involved in this decision, but were informed at short notice," explained the ministry spokesperson. Even if the stationing of an aircraft enables more flights from the respective airport, there will be flights by Sundair, Correndon and other airlines from Calden in summer 2024. "Kassel Airport and Sundair will remain partners," he emphasized.
Ernst also emphasized the continuation of the partnership. He did not wish to comment beyond this. "We ask for your understanding that we do not comment on the business decisions of our partners," he said. Sundair could not initially be reached for comment.
Kassel Airport has been in the red since it opened ten years ago. According to preliminary data from the operating company, the deficit at the regional airport in Calden amounted to 5.08 million euros last year (2021: 5.35 million euros). Critics are therefore calling for the regional airport to be downgraded to a commercial airport.
The largest shareholder is the state of Hesse with 68 percent. Other shareholders are the city and district of Kassel, each with 14.5 percent. The municipality of Calden, which has a population of around 7600, holds 3 percent. It had originally owned 6 percent, but in 2018 it gave 1.5 percent each to the city and district to ease the burden.
The ministry spokesperson emphasized that the state's position remains unchanged. "It has always been wrong to reduce Kassel Airport to just vacation flights." The airport is a central infrastructure project for northern Hesse. "It creates jobs, is an industrial location and generates tax revenue."
Despite the withdrawal of Sundair's aircraft from Kassel Airport in North Hesse, the airport will still see flights operated by Sundair, Correndon, and other airlines during the summer of 2024. Air traffic at Kassel Airport, a crucial infrastructure project in northern Hesse, continues to contribute to job creation, serves as an industrial location, and generates tax revenue.
Source: www.dpa.com
