Demonstrations at the Aviation Terminal - The regulatory body, BER, initiates a lawsuit against Last Generation, seeking compensation.
Berlin-Brandenburg Airport takes legal action against "The Last Generation" members for monetary compensation. An airport representative stated, "Following a disruptive action carried out by members of 'The Last Generation' in November 2022, the airport authority is seeking damages from six individuals associated with the group." The lawsuit was reportedly submitted to the Cottbus Regional Court.
The Regional Court has not yet authenticated the lawsuit. A response to the lawsuit is still being awaited. As per BER, the estimated total compensation sought is roughly 33,000 euros. This amount covers only the expenses incurred by the airport due to the resumption of flight operations and lost income from cancelled flights, the spokesperson pointed out. For instance, she cited repair work on the airport fence, deployment of the airport fire department, and unpaid landing and takeoff fees.
Thousands of travelers impacted by the blockades
On November 24, 2022, activists from "The Last Generation" group hindered flight operations for approximately two hours. German federal police reported that two groups breached the airport premises, with some activists adhering themselves to the floor. Berlin Airport halted operations on both runways. According to BER, around 40 flights with approximately 3,000 passengers were affected, either cancelled or rerouted.
"The disruption considerably impacted the airport's operations and utilization," the spokesperson continued. The airport authority aims to convey through the lawsuit that "it does not endorse such disruptions and the responsible parties must also answer to the airport."
BER claims that a total of 4 instances have occurred where climate activists tried to obstruct air traffic at BER by entering the airport's secure zone. Only on November 24, 2022, did flight operations have to be briefly suspended.
The lawyer representing Berlin-Brandenburg Airport stated that the last generation of climate activists who disrupted operations in November 2022 are the ones being sought for compensation. Regardless of the Regional Court's pending authentication of the lawsuit, the estimated compensation amounting to 33,000 euros covers the airport's resumption costs and lost income.
