2024-07-28 04:31:58
An action by climate stickers could prove very costly. Lufthansa is apparently considering making a high claim for damages.
Lufthansa will demand compensation from climate activists from the “Last Generation” group, who brought operations at Frankfurt Airport to a standstill for several hours on Thursday morning. This was reported by “Bild am Sonntag”. According to a Lufthansa spokesperson, the exact amount of damages is currently being determined. It will be significantly higher than previous claims for compensation made to the climate stickers. According to the report, Lufthansa had made claims for compensation of 740,000 euros to the climate stickers for occupying the runways at the airports in Hamburg, Düsseldorf and Berlin.
Fraport, the airport operator, also wants to reserve the right to take legal action against the activists. “The perpetrators face severe penalties and high civil damages claims,” a spokesman made clear. “We condemn the action in the strongest possible terms.”
On Thursday, climate activists temporarily paralyzed flight operations at Germany’s largest airport in Frankfurt am Main for the first time, and on Wednesday at Cologne/Bonn Airport. This fueled the discussion about tougher penalties.
A week ago, the Federal Cabinet approved a draft law to tighten the Aviation Security Act. This would introduce a new criminal offense for unauthorized entry onto the runway and taxiway of an airport.
After the airport blockade, the political debate about tougher penalties for such protests continues. Demands for tougher penalties came on Friday from the SPD, the Union and the BSW. “This cannot just be an administrative offence,” said SPD Bundestag member Lars Castellucci on ZDF. The Greens, on the other hand, made an opposing demand. Green transport politician Stefan Gelbhaar said on Deutschlandfunk: “Airports are large areas, and it will rarely be possible to protect them 100 percent.” But the Green politician is not in favor of higher penalties: “I believe that the law is fully and well equipped in this regard.”