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Daily annoyance: Many Offenbach residents suffer from aircraft noise. The citizens’ initiative for air traffic in Offenbach has been campaigning against this and against an increase in the number of flights that is perceived as unbearable since 1990. © PantherMedia / Stefan Lenz
Citizens’ initiative for air traffic sees a rapid increase in the number of flights
Offenbach – Ingrid Wagner from Offenbach has been involved in the Citizens’ Initiative for Aviation (BIL) for more than three decades. In an interview with her deputy Thomas Hesse, the chairwoman talks about the tough dialogue with the aviation industry, small successes in the fight against aircraft noise and Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner.
Ms. Wagner, Mr. Hesse, in June 63 aircraft violated the ban on night flights at Frankfurt Airport – in one evening. How does the citizens’ initiative view these new violations?
Hesse: It’s very annoying. The existing regulation of the Federal Administrative Court is so weak that it does not prevent late starts. There are planes that are scheduled to land shortly before 11 p.m. – the start of the restricted night flight ban. Many machines cannot meet this schedule. Politics, Fraport and airlines are very profit-oriented. They take advantage of this until the last minute.
Wagner: The airlines take violations into account. We know of other cities with an absolute ban on night flights: delayed planes are simply no longer allowed to land there. In Zurich the planes are immediately sent on to Germany. The Swiss insist on their night’s rest. It cannot be the case that the ban is enforceable in some countries but not in others.
The number of passenger flights is also increasing: in June, the Flightradar24 portal registered a daily record. Lufthansa plans to offer more domestic flights…
Wagner: …although before the Corona crisis she had announced very loudly that she wanted to shift short routes to rail. That is the reason why I have been working in the citizens’ initiative for decades. These empty promises from the airlines. When it came to expanding the airport, the state of Hesse and the aviation industry sat at the mediation table and stated: If we get the expansion, we will not oppose a ban on night flights. However, the state of Hesse still approved 17 night flights in the planning approval decision (the building permit for the expansion). Lufthansa and other companies wanted to sue for more nighttime flight movements. Young politicians today are not aware of this development and therefore believe the claims of the aviation industry. I was recently at the event with Christian Lindner (FDP Federal Finance Minister, editor’s note) at the Leather Museum. I then asked him why there is no kerosene tax in Germany – there is in the Netherlands and Norway.
Several planes thundered over Wilhelmsplatz during the interview with Thomas Hesse and Ingrid Wagner. Fewer flights in Offenbach airspace are a central concern of the citizens’ initiative. © Carnival, Julius
What did he answer?
Wagner: That the aviation industry has already jointly decided to fly more climate-neutrally by 2030. And I think Lindner is actually firmly convinced of the industry’s stated intentions. We don’t even know when this would actually be technically feasible.
Hesse: That’s why we are of the opinion that the goal of climate neutrality is not compatible with the call for ever-increasing growth in flight volumes. A quarter of all flights that take off in Germany are short-haul flights. And this passenger transport could, to return to the statement at the beginning, also be taken over by the railways. This is a logistical challenge, but certainly possible. Especially since medium and long-haul routes are actually the distances with which aviation makes real money.
The state elections are coming up in Hesse this weekend. How do you rate the commitment of politicians to the issue of aircraft noise?
Hesse: The Minister of Economic Affairs and Transport (Tarek Al-Wazir, Green Party, editor’s note) has made certain attempts over the years which, in our opinion, have not led to any effective noise reduction. The political significance is no longer that high. Activities were scaled down. There is no impulse in this direction from the Greens. People always say that we have to do something for the climate. But when we say that there is a possibility here, we are dismissed as saying that it is all very difficult. This is very worrying for us.
How aware are young people of the issue of aircraft noise?
Hesse: Generally less so. Not even in Offenbach, even though we live in a city that is 80 percent noisy. We are the noise capital of Germany. This doesn’t play such a big role with the younger people. But we used to feel the same way. The older you get, the more sensitive you become to noise pollution. I think a lot of young people are busy with other things because the acoustic tolerance is still there.
Wagner: Basically, I see that Fridays for Future or the Last Generation are particularly active when it comes to air traffic. And propagate: Things cannot continue like this.
Do you see an overlap in content with the climate movement?
Wagner: Yes, there are. We support environmental associations and go to demonstrations together. When Fridays for Future demonstrates in Frankfurt, we will be there. I see them as a group that helps plow our field. I can also understand the anger of the “climate gluers” because I share with them the experience that politicians often do not see the big picture.
The work of the citizens’ initiative is time-consuming. Where do you get the strength to keep going?
Wagner: At the beginning I never thought I would be involved for decades. But it doesn’t work any other way: results can only be achieved in small steps. Such as the installation of an ultrafine dust measuring device, which we are now getting at the weather park. It is important that we maintain cooperation with various committees and that we go to meetings with politicians and consider legal options. And try to have an influence, to show a presence.
What are your goals for the coming period?
Wagner: We would still like to see an absolute ban on night flights from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. In any case, Offenbach must not have to endure the noise of the entire Rhine-Main area. In Amsterdam, there are so-called noise quotas for Schiphol Airport – set limits for noise pollution that must not be exceeded. Other flight corridors could also be used around Offenbach to give the city a little peace and quiet. I’ve always lived here. We must protect the lovely aspects of our city.
Hesse: We are not general opponents of airports – in a reduced form, all of this would be bearable. The only way we can achieve less noise is through fewer aircraft movements. That’s the key.
The interview was conducted by Julius Fastnacht.
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