Future of Heringsdorf Airport: District discusses financial injection!

Future of Heringsdorf Airport: District discusses financial injection!

There is currently intensive discussion in Pasewalk about the future of Heringsdorf Airport. The district council members are faced with the question of whether and to what extent the Vorpommern-Greifswald district can provide financial support. The need is clear: up to 500,000 euros are needed to ensure the airport's liquidity and to maintain its operations. The airport receives more than 360,000 euros annually from the district, and the hoteliers of the Usedom seaside resort also contribute another 125,000 euros to maintain the connection Ostsee-Zeitung reports.

In recent years, Heringsdorf Airport has been faced with continuous loss of passengers. Last year it had almost 22,000 passengers and this season it offers connections to Kassel, Mannheim, Friedrichshafen, Luxembourg, Frankfurt/Main and Zurich. But concerns about financial resources remain, as the Greens point out that the ongoing subsidization of loss-making operations comes with a high price for citizens. Finally, each ticket is supported by the residents with 34.50 euros, as Nordkurier notes.

Door to cooperation with Poland

Another exciting topic is the possible renaming of the airport to a Polish name, which could strengthen cooperation with Polish entrepreneurs from Świnoujście. They have expressed interest in investing financially in the airport, similar to the Heringsdorf hoteliers, who are prepared to extend their funding for another ten years. A contribution of 125,000 euros annually over a period of ten years will be discussed as soon as District Administrator Michael Sack and airport managing director Dirk Zabel are authorized to negotiate with the Polish side in the next district council.

There have been discussions about cooperation with Świnoujście in the past, but they stalled during the PiS government in Warsaw and the corona pandemic. Nevertheless, there is now agreement among those responsible in Poland about the advantages of the airport, and German-Polish cooperation could not only help stabilize passenger numbers, but also enable new flight connections to Warsaw or Kraków.

The future of the airport

Despite the uncertainties, the airport remains an important asset for many, playing a significant role in tourism and the regional economy. While representatives like Jeanette von Busse (CDU) defend the airport as a unique selling point, critical voices like Michael Galander (Alliance of Non-Party Mayors) express justified doubts about the usefulness of the operation. A real conflict arises when it comes to setting priorities. Ulrike Berger from the Greens calls for a different focus from the administration and emphasizes the benefits of local public transport for all citizens.

It remains to be hoped that the upcoming agreements and negotiations will lead to a more stable future for Heringsdorf Airport. After all, the district council has now approved the change to the partnership agreement with 36 votes in favour, 19 against and 6 abstentions. The discussions about the necessary financial resources and the potential involvement of Polish partners are a first step in the right direction.