Leipzig / Halle Airport is expanding

Lufthansa Technical Training GmbH

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Among other things, DHL is planning to expand the logistics hub from 60 to around 90 parking spaces for aircraft. “After the renovation, we have two runways again. The parallel runway system was a clear locational advantage when DHL and Amazon were established,” explains Uwe Schuhart from Mitteldeutsche Flughafen AG.

In November 2020, Amazon Air opened its first regional air freight center in Europe here. The company uses a newly built 20,000 square meter cargo facility with direct access to the apron.

Hardly any passenger traffic in the pandemic

During the corona pandemic, the airport departure hall was empty for months. In the freight center, however, there was more to be done than before. “In addition to the increased standard business, medical aid supplies were also handled and the supply chains maintained,” emphasizes Schuhart. Up to 75 colleagues from Dresden temporarily helped out at Leipzig / Halle Airport.

In addition to the two runways, the airport has a night flight permit for cargo planes. It is also used abundantly – and the number of flights is to be increased significantly in the future. This has met with a lot of criticism.

Expansion meets with criticism

Leipzig’s Lord Mayor Burkhard Jung (SPD) supports the expansion, but with conditions. Several parties in the Magdeburg state parliament have also called for more noise protection for the residents of the airport. Saxony-Anhalt holds a good 18 percent stake in Mitteldeutsche Flughafen AG, which includes Leipzig / Halle Airport and the regional airport in Dresden. The main owner is Saxony with a good 77 percent.

The plan approval procedure began in mid-November 2020. Because of the corona pandemic, the period of objection to the multi-million dollar project was extended this summer. According to the responsible regional directorate, 3,974 objections had already been received from 5,638 individuals. In addition, there is an online petition against the airport expansion that has been drawn tens of thousands of times.

The multi-million dollar project polarized more and more and culminated a few days ago in a blockade of the access to the DHL cross by 54 activists against the airport expansion. Several trucks jammed in front of the entrance and had to be diverted through a second gate. According to the police, DHL filed a complaint because some machines were delayed due to the blockade. Accordingly, among the stopped vehicles were trucks loaded with vaccines and taxis that wanted to take pilots to their cargo planes.

“That was not the last action that takes place at the airport against the expansion,” says Peter Richter from IG Nachtflugverbot. The residents felt abandoned by politics and the judiciary. “People were forced to apply for soundproof windows. In most buildings, however, it is not enough to install soundproof windows because the sound comes through roofs and walls. At 28 degrees they have to close the windows at night in order not to expose themselves to any health risks.”

Many residents have already given up and moved away, says Richter, who has been fighting against the expansion plans for years. “We cannot all move here just so that one company can increase its profit.”

In the meantime, regardless of protests and planning procedures, huge machines continue to pour the concrete on the northern runway. So far, only the rain on a few days has been able to hold them back. A festival like the inauguration of the southern runway in 2007 is not planned, emphasizes Schuhart. “There is no fanfare with an air show, parade or music. According to the flight schedule, the first plane should land here on September 1st at 10:00 pm. Ready.”

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