Regional airports in danger: subsidies on the brink!

Regional airports in danger: subsidies on the brink!

In northern Germany there is great uncertainty among regional airports, which are worried about the future financing of air traffic control. With the threat of federal funding being cut, the existence of small air traffic hubs in particular is in jeopardy. NDR reports that the regional airports in Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are concerned about new developments at the transport ministers' conference.

Lower Saxony's Transport Minister Grant Hendrik Tonne (SPD) expressed optimism after the conference. Despite the fact that no money has yet been budgeted for in the coming budget, the federal government could continue to contribute to the costs of air traffic control for regional airports. In 2025, three regional airports in Lower Saxony – Braunschweig-Wolfsburg, Emden and Wilhelmshaven – received a total of four million euros from federal funds. Tonne emphasizes that small airports are of great importance for research, economics and security policy.

Support from the countries

The situation is not only tense in Lower Saxony. Schleswig-Holstein is also affected, where Transport Minister Claus Ruhe Madsen (CDU) supports the competitiveness of small airports. The focus here is on Sylt, Kiel-Holtenau and Lübeck-Blankensee. The regional airports in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are Heringsdorf and Neubrandenburg, which rely on federal funding. AOPA.de reports on a general financing crisis, which was exacerbated by the Federal Ministry of Transport's announcement that it would abolish the financing of air traffic control fees at the end of 2025.

This cancellation came into force shortly before a change of government, which is seen as unfortunate for many of those affected. Almost all regional airports in Germany are affected by the decision and are now fighting to receive support for the fees incurred. The current regulation stipulates that at 44 regional airports, whether private or municipal, air traffic control fees were recently not charged for aircraft under 2t MTOM. That could now change, which could lead to a further decline in the already struggling passenger numbers.

Costs and reforms

At the same time, Tonne is pushing for reforms in driving license training, as the current cost of a class B driving license at around 3,400 euros is described as far too high. Hamburg's Transport Senator Anjes Tjarks (Greens) supports this initiative and calls for more efficient training. In order to reduce costs, suggestions such as fewer test questions and shortening the driving test are being discussed. The key points should be developed by the next ministerial conference at the end of March.

In the near future, there will also be a price increase for the Deutschlandticket to 63 euros from 2026, and the planned price index is intended to reflect cost increases due to personnel and energy prices. The states are also demanding a larger share of the federal government's special funds for transport infrastructure, which should flow into maintenance, new and expansion projects as well as digitalization.

The situation of the waterways in Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein also remains delicate, with an investment requirement of around three billion euros. Minister Tonne called for an immediate program of 500 million euros to promote the necessary improvements in the waterway network. At the same time, Lower Saxony plans to invest 1.8 billion euros in environmentally friendly freight transport on rivers, which indicates a growing awareness of sustainable transport solutions.

In summary, it can be said that the regional airports in northern Germany are in a critical phase. The pressure to secure air traffic control funding, coupled with rising costs in other transport areas, makes it clear: There is a lot at stake for the region's small but fine aviation landscape.