Lufthansa and DHL to sue over Frankfurt Airport plan

German flagship airline Lufthansa plans to go to court over the expansion plan for Frankfurt Airport because of limits on night flights under the plan.

Lufthansa will take legal action against the planning approval for the airport expansion in view of the night flights issue.

DHL will also go to court over the expansion plan for Frankfurt Airport.

TUI’s holiday airline TUIfly and charter airline Condor said they would also sue over the issue.

In September, Frankfurt airport operator Fraport, the state of Hesse, the city of Frankfurt and several municipalities neighbouring the airport reached a compromise on the building of a new runway and a third terminal, with the condition that local residents are to protected from air-traffic noise by limitations on night flights.

The planning approval ultimately would permit just 17 flights between 11pm local time and 5am local time.

Lufthansa said the company welcomes the decision to expand Frankfurt airport. However, Lufthansa has requested more passenger and cargo flights than have been granted under the planning approval.

Lufthansa has requested approval to schedule 41 overnight flights between 11pm local time and 5am local time, Rhiel said.

German flagship airline Lufthansa plans to go to court over the expansion plan for Frankfurt Airport because of limits on night flights under the plan.

Lufthansa will take legal action against the planning approval for the airport expansion in view of the night flights issue.

DHL, the express logistics unit of German postal company Deutsche Post, will also go to court over the expansion plan for Frankfurt Airport.

TUI’s holiday airline TUIfly and charter airline Condor said they would also sue over the issue.

In September, Frankfurt airport operator Fraport, the state of Hesse, the city of Frankfurt and several municipalities neighbouring the airport reached a compromise on the building of a new runway and a third terminal, with the condition that local residents are to protected from air-traffic noise by limitations on night flights.

The planning approval ultimately would permit just 17 flights between 11pm local time and 5am local time.

Lufthansa said the company welcomes the decision to expand Frankfurt airport. However, Lufthansa has requested more passenger and cargo flights than have been granted under the planning approval.

Alois Rhiel, economic minister of the state of Hesse, where the Frankfurt airport is located, insisted that the planning approval could withstand legal challenges. He added that the approval was a good compromise between residents’ needs for protection from noise and the requirements of airlines, among them Lufthansa.

Lufthansa has requested approval to schedule 41 overnight flights between 11pm local time and 5am local time, Rhiel said.