In Hamburg and Dusseldorf, climate activists have taken to airport runways and taped them up. Air traffic at both airports has now resumed, but delays remain.
The “last generation” of climate activists trapped themselves on the runway at Hamburg airport at the start of a holiday in Hamburg, crippling flight operations for hours. Hamburg Airport announced in the morning that, meanwhile, operations had resumed.
A spokesman for the Hamburg police situation center confirmed that action had been taken at the airport. One activist was detained, according to federal police.
17 arrival and 19 departure cancellations
Air traffic was initially stopped at 6.10am. According to the current situation, 17 arriving flights and 19 departing flights have been cancelled. Ten incoming aircraft were diverted to other airports. More flight cancellations and delays are likely throughout the day, according to the airport. On the first day of the holiday in Hamburg, the airport actually expects 50,000 passengers and 330 aircraft movements.
Check-in and security checks in Hamburg have now reportedly reopened acute respiratory diseaseJournalist Niklas Schenk. “But it’s not going well at the moment. Many passengers are still waiting here, not sure whether their flights can still take off today.” The first day of Hamburg’s summer vacation is an important travel day at the airport. “The excitement level among the passengers was correspondingly high.”
Drive to Düsseldorf runway blocked
In Düsseldorf, members of the “last generation” were also stranded at the airport. According to their own accounts, the activists reached the airport tarmac through the fence.
A DPA photographer reported that there were six or seven people on the road to the runway in the morning. Flight operations are temporarily severely restricted.
Dusseldorf Airport tweeted early in the morning: “Delays in flight operations due to unauthorized access to the airport.”
Further delays in Düsseldorf
Flight operations have reportedly resumed in Dusseldorf, but not as planned acute respiratory disease—Journalist Andreas Ternsek. “Flight operations resumed three hours ago, but the airport just said to me not long ago: You are now pushing the bow in front of you, from an hour. Literally lost an hour of operating time.” There will be serious delays.
“There may have been two cancellations and two diversions to Cologne,” Ternsek said. Delays would further hamper operations.
Criticism from transportation and justice ministers
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wiesing has sharply criticized the protests. “These dangerous traffic interventions must end. What the ‘last generation’ is doing is not climate protection, it’s crime,” the Liberal Democrat politician told news portal “t-online”. Demonstrators are doing damage to climate protection itself . “Anyone who destroys someone else’s well-earned and long-awaited annual leave adds to the divisions in our society,” Wiesin said. The rule of law must be cracked down hard.
Attorney General Marco Buschman made a similar statement. The Liberal Democrat politician tweeted: “Many are looking forward to their well-deserved holidays. If @AufstandLastGen takes away this joy, it will undermine acceptance of more climate protection.” “Blockers” will Had to consider the criminal consequences and, if necessary, “file damage claims worth millions of dollars.”
Protests start at 6 a.m.
“We protest the government’s lack of planning and lawlessness in the climate crisis,” the activist tweeted early this morning. The runways at Hamburg and Düsseldorf airports have been blocked since 6 am.
Climate activists have criticized the continued rise in air passengers and the industry’s associated emissions. “Instead of coming up with specific plans on how to prevent this and how to meet statutory emission reduction targets, the Ministry of Transport has opted for ‘technological openness,'” “The Last Generation” explained. The campaign renewed its call for a social council to set out how to phase out the use of fossil fuels by 2030.
Activists in Hamburg explained that the actions at the start of the summer holidays in the federal state were “a protest against the government’s lack of planning and lawlessness in the climate crisis”. They criticized the government’s billions of dollars in subsidies for air travel, calling it a “significant catalyst for disaster”.
Alert at Frankfurt Airport
The protests have also aroused the vigilance of the relevant responsible persons at Frankfurt Airport. But an AFP spokesman said there had been no incidents. One is to be “very attentive” during normal patrol activities. At Germany’s largest airport, action must also be taken on the landside and in the air safety zone.
Authorities did just that at Frankfurt Airport last month. The start of the holidays in Hesse, Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate on July 22 is considered a particularly sensitive date.