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Court Upholds Night
Time Flight Ban At Frankfurt Airport By Shane Nolan |
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April 15, 2012 - The decision by the Federal
Administrative Court in Leipzig to uphold a night-time
flight ban at Frankfurt Airport will damage one of the
world’s premier gateways for international trade and
harm the local and national economy, says the Chairman
of The International Air Cargo Association’s (TIACA)
Industry Affairs Committee. Despite strong industry protests, the court’s decision means the ban on flights at Frankfurt between 2300hrs and 0500hrs will remain in force. The court also reduced the number of flights permitted one hour before and one hour after the night-time period. Frankfurt am Main Airport, or simply Frankfurt Airport, known in German is a major international airport located in Frankfurt, Germany, 7.5 miles southwest of the city center. |
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Run by
transport company Fraport, Frankfurt Airport is by far the
busiest airport by passenger traffic in Germany, the third
busiest in Europe (after London Heathrow Airport and
Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport) and the ninth busiest worldwide
in 2011. Passenger traffic at Frankfurt Airport in 2011 was 56.4
million.
As of
winter 2011/2012, Frankfurt Airport serves the most
international destinations in the world, serving 275
destinations in 111 countries and is the second busiest airport
in Europe by cargo traffic. The southern side of the airport
ground was home to the Rhein-Main Air Base, which was a major
air base for the United States from 1947 until 2005, when the
air base was closed and the property was acquired by Fraport.
TIACA has
previously warned of the potential economic and environmental
damage that would result from the night-time flight ban, a prime
time for freighter movements that support fast deliveries of
essential products throughout the day once they leave the
airport.
The
Association said restricting freighter movements would reduce
future investment by companies at Frankfurt airport and could
lead to job losses. It also warned of a negative impact on the
environment from greater trucking operations if all-cargo
airlines were forced to use other airports. Consumers can also
expect higher prices for everyday items due to high supply chain
costs, TIACA said. |