Fewer flight offers: IHK worried about Dresden’s airport

The Dresden Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) has warned against decoupling the state capital’s airport from international air traffic. This would lead to major disadvantages for the local economic area, the IHK said on Friday. In the meantime, there is increasing evidence that domestic German air traffic to and from Dresden should be completely discontinued. IHK President Andreas Sperl called on the Saxon government to come to an understanding with the airlines about their plans immediately.

“A comparison of the winter flight schedules for 2019 and 2021 at Dresden Airport shows that the weekly flight frequency is dropping drastically. This is particularly true for domestic German connections and the connection to Zurich,” explained the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In 2019, a total of 127 weekly flights to Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Düsseldorf, Cologne / Bonn and Stuttgart started, according to the current plan there will be 65 weekly flights in winter 2021.

With “Silicon Saxony” the region has Europe’s largest location for microelectronics as well as for information and communication technology, emphasized Sperl. “Dresden is also shortlisted for location decisions by other international industry giants. The region is also an important location for the aviation and automotive industries and has an excellent, internationally networked scientific landscape.”

If the important line connections, in particular to Frankfurt and Munich, should cease to exist, this not only threatens the attractiveness of the economic and scientific location, which is unique in structurally weak East Germany, but also puts its future viability at risk, said Sperl. The connection and the quick accessibility are central factors for the expansion and settlement of companies. (dpa)

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