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February 19, 2025

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February 19, 2025

Düsseldorf Airport sues climate activists of the “Last Generation” for damages

Belinda Borg February 19, 2025 15:54

After a blockade of the runway in summer 2023, Düsseldorf Airport is now demanding compensation from activists from the "Last Generation" group. The airport has filed a civil lawsuit with the Düsseldorf Regional Court and is demanding 48.786,62 euros from the people involved. A spokeswoman for the regional court confirmed receipt of the lawsuit (case number 15 O 133/24). The "Rheinische Post" had previously reported on the case. On July 13, 2023, activists from the "Last Generation" cut through the airport's fence and got onto the runway. Six of them had glued themselves there, which led to an interruption of air traffic for almost two hours and numerous flight cancellations. The airport is now claiming the lost take-off and landing fees as well as other costs incurred as a result of the blockade. An airport spokesman did not want to comment to the "Rheinische Post" on the amount of damage or other legal details. The “Last Generation” is a group of climate activists who want to use their actions to draw attention to the urgency of the climate crisis. In the past, the group has caused a stir several times by blocking roads, intersections and even airports. The activists argue that their civil disobedience is necessary to get politicians to act. Düsseldorf Airport is not the first airport to demand compensation from climate activists. Other airports in Germany and abroad have already filed similar lawsuits. The question of whether such actions are justified and to what extent compensation claims exist is controversial and is repeatedly discussed in public and in court. Düsseldorf Airport's lawsuit against the “Last Generation” is

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Court settlement: Vienna Airport and Letzte Generation agree to pay 15.000 euros

Jan Gruber February 19, 2025 15:52

Following the protests by the activist group Last Generation at Vienna Airport last summer, legal disputes were fought out between those involved. On Tuesday, a preliminary agreement was reached at the Korneuburg Regional Court. Last Generation is to pay 15.000 euros to the airport and submit a cease-and-desist declaration. However, the settlement is conditional and can still be revoked within the next four weeks. The protests occurred in July 2024, when activists from Last Generation blocked access to the airport's security area, spilled paint and sprayed confetti. The first of these actions took place on July 24, after which the airport announced that it would take legal action for cleaning and security costs. The first proceedings in December ended with a settlement of 2.000 euros for cleaning costs. The second action on July 27 had more far-reaching financial consequences. In addition to renewed cleaning costs, the protest action led to increased personnel costs and additional security measures, according to the airport. The lawsuit claimed damages of around 30.000 euros. Arguments of the parties Vienna Airport justified its claim by saying that the protest action had resulted in considerable additional costs. In particular, securing the site, which is surrounded by a 20-kilometer-long fence, required additional personnel. In a statement, it was said that the demonstrators themselves were responsible for these costs, as they had triggered the need for the measures through their action. Die letzte Generation rejected the allegations and spoke of an "intimidation lawsuit". It doubted that the costs cited by the airport had been incurred in full.

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Snow chaos in Istanbul: Numerous flight cancellations with Turkish Airlines

Amely Mizzi February 19, 2025 15:50

Heavy snowfall has caused significant disruption to air traffic in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul. Turkish Airlines, the country's largest airline, has announced that numerous flights to and from Istanbul Airport will have to be cancelled until Saturday due to the persistent winter weather. The weather forecast predicts further snowfall in the coming days, which could lead to additional flight cancellations and delays. The onset of winter in Istanbul has not only severely affected air traffic, but also road traffic and public life in the city. Numerous streets are closed due to the snow and ice, and public transport has partially come to a standstill. Weather-related problems in air and road traffic have also occurred in other parts of Turkey. Turkish Airlines has set up a hotline for passengers affected by the flight cancellations and published information on its website and social media. The airline is trying to inform passengers as best as possible and offer alternative travel options. However, the situation is expected to continue for a few more days as weather conditions remain unfavorable. Istanbul Airport, one of the largest and most important airports in Europe, has been particularly badly affected by the effects of the snowfall. Numerous flights had to be cancelled or postponed, and many passengers were stranded at the airport. Airport operators are working around the clock to clear snow and ice from the runways, but the persistent snowfall is making clearing work more difficult. The current situation in Istanbul shows once again how severely air traffic can be affected by extreme weather conditions.

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Austria: Bus drivers go on warning strike

Belinda Borg February 19, 2025 15:47

On Thursday, February 20, 2025, bus drivers and the Vida union will call for warning strikes across Austria. Strikes are planned from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. at over 80 locations, which could significantly disrupt bus traffic in many parts of the country. The aim of the action is to underline the demands for better working conditions and more staff. The companies affected include ÖBB Postbus, Blaguss, Dr. Richard, sabtours and Gschwindl. The strikers are receiving support from climate activists from the organizations Fridays For Future and System Change Not Climate Change, which have joined the "We Drive Together" alliance. The 12.000 employees of the private bus companies have been in collective bargaining with the employers for several months. But despite intensive negotiations and the repeated presentation of demands, there has so far been no substantial progress in the 4th round of collective bargaining. "The employers have not presented us with a seriously improved offer," explains Markus Petritsch, head of the road department in the Vida union. "With the strikes, we are sending a clear signal to the employers that they must act now. Otherwise, we will expand our measures if necessary," he adds. Insufficient improvements in working conditions The Vida union had pushed for a noticeable improvement in working conditions, but the employers have still not responded to the key demands. In particular, with regard to easing the burden on bus drivers during split shifts and breaks, the employers have only offered marginal improvements, which would, however, have been associated with income losses elsewhere. The demand for an extension of the night shift allowance

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Lufthansa plans partial takeover of Swissport Losch GmbH: Self-handling in Munich as the goal

Jan Gruber February 19, 2025 15:42

The Lufthansa Group has announced that it will handle some of its flights at Munich Airport itself in the course of this year. A key component of this plan is the planned takeover of Swissport Losch GmbH & Co. KG by Lufthansa. This transaction is intended to pave the way to further increase the operational stability and reliability of aviation services at Munich Airport. However, the takeover is still subject to approval by the relevant authorities and a commercial agreement. With this strategic decision, Lufthansa is pursuing the goal of taking control of the handling processes for its own aircraft at Munich Airport itself. Swissport Losch GmbH, previously an established partner in the area of ​​aircraft handling, is to continue to operate at the Munich site after the planned takeover. Lufthansa's focus is on ensuring improved service quality and a long-term perspective for employees. Securing jobs and stability Lufthansa emphasizes that the jobs of the employees of Swissport Losch GmbH & Co. KG are to be retained as part of the takeover. The Lufthansa Group has issued a declaration of intent in this regard, in which it expresses its desire to offer the affected employees a long-term perspective. This declaration also highlights that the employees at Swissport Losch have made a decisive contribution to the successful operations at Munich Airport through their professionalism and service quality. Jens Ritter, CEO of Lufthansa Airlines and Hub Manager in Munich, explained that securing jobs at the Munich location is one of the company's key concerns. "The further development of the

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SpiceJet plans expansion into long-haul routes

Jan Gruber February 19, 2025 13:28

Indian low-cost airline SpiceJet is considering expanding into long-haul routes, according to its CEO Ajay Singh. At the Aviation Festival Asia 2025 conference in Singapore, Singh announced that the airline is considering purchasing wide-body aircraft to keep pace with growing competition and demand for air travel in India. Singh stressed that SpiceJet needs wide-body aircraft for long-haul flights in the long term, given the unprecedented demand for air travel in India after the pandemic. Competitors Air India and IndiGo have already placed large orders for new wide-body aircraft, and smaller rivals such as Akasa Air are also already operating successfully on longer international routes. SpiceJet itself had already gained experience operating wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft on repatriation flights during the pandemic. After difficult years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which SpiceJet struggled with financial problems and aircraft were repossessed by lessors, the airline now appears to be back on track. After several rounds of financing, SpiceJet was able to pay off its debts and bring idle aircraft back into service. An important step in fleet renewal was the reintroduction of the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft into active service. After initial maintenance issues and a lack of technical support for the CFM LEAP-1B engines, a total of ten previously idle aircraft, including the three Boeing 2025 Max aircraft, are to be brought back into service by mid-April 737. The return of the 737 Max is seen as a key strategic development for the airline. It enables operations on high-demand routes such as Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia without

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Meteomatics expands to the USA with high-resolution weather model

Belinda Borg February 19, 2025 13:22

The Swiss weather technology company Meteomatics, known for its successful European weather model EURO1k, has now also developed a high-resolution weather model for the USA. Like EURO1k, the new US1k model is intended to provide particularly precise, short-term and hyperlocal weather forecasts, especially for intercontinental aviation. Meteomatics CEO Martin Fengler emphasized that with EURO1k the company has already set a new standard for hyperlocal weather forecasts in Europe. In view of the increasing risk of extreme weather events for companies worldwide, the decision was made to expand the weather solutions to include the high-resolution US1k model for the USA. The new US1k model covers the entire contiguous territory of the USA as well as the Gulf of Mexico. It offers a resolution of one kilometer and is updated hourly. Meteomatics uses advanced data assimilation and post-processing techniques to enable forecasts at 15-minute intervals and downscaling to 90 meters. This enables small-scale atmospheric phenomena such as thunderstorm cells or tornadoes to be detected. Global weather models, in comparison, usually have a resolution of around 20 kilometers and are only calculated three to four times a day. The launch of US1k is part of Meteomatics' strategy to further expand its technology. The company recently received follow-on funding of 22 million euros to drive operational growth and international scaling. Meteomatics' high-resolution weather models enable companies to react to weather events at an early stage and plan their operations more efficiently. In aviation, for example, flight routes can be optimized and turbulence avoided, increasing the safety of passengers and crew. In addition to aviation, other industries such as energy, shipping and

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Air Baltic successfully completes construction of the Baltic Cargo Hub

Belinda Borg February 19, 2025 13:18

The Latvian airline Air Baltic has announced the completion of the Baltic Cargo Hub at Riga Airport. This will create the largest air cargo facility in the Baltics, which will serve as a central logistics location for the entire north-eastern European region. Construction work was completed on schedule and official operations are scheduled to begin in spring. With an area of ​​6.895 square meters, the Baltic Cargo Hub sets new standards for air cargo in the region. The terminal was built in close proximity to the cargo apron at Riga Airport and is equipped with the latest technology. Semi-automatic material handling systems are intended to ensure fast and efficient handling of air cargo. The facility includes temperature-controlled rooms for sensitive goods such as pharmaceutical products, as well as special areas for dangerous goods, live animals and valuable shipments. In addition, integrated facilities of the Latvian Food Safety and Veterinary Service and a customs clearance point have been included in the logistics concept to enable smooth customs clearance. Importance for the region In recent years, Riga Airport has developed into one of the most important hubs for air freight in Northern and Eastern Europe. By opening the Baltic Cargo Hub, Air Baltic aims to further strengthen its position in the international logistics market. The company expects the new infrastructure to significantly improve its own air freight offering and shorten processing times for international goods flows. Air Baltic currently operates over 130 routes from its bases in Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius and Tampere, as well as seasonally from Gran Canaria. The airline connects the Baltic States with numerous destinations in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the Caucasus region. Cooperation with leading partners The realization of the Baltic

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Bremen Airport is the most punctual airport in Germany according to a study

Jan Gruber February 19, 2025 13:15

In a recent study, Bremen Airport has proven to be the most punctual airport in Germany. According to the study by Allianz Direct, flights departing from Bremen were delayed by an average of just 2024 minutes in 11,29. This puts the airport in first place in a nationwide comparison. The airport in northwest Germany has already impressed with its reliability in recent years. Between 2020 and 2024, Bremen consistently topped the ranking. Even airports with significantly higher passenger volumes such as Frankfurt, Munich or Hamburg could not keep up with Bremen's punctuality. Dr. Marc Cezanne, Managing Director of Bremen Airport, expressed his delight at the good performance: "We are delighted with this great snapshot. And see the ranking as motivation to continue investing in smooth operations for travelers from Bremen in the future." Reasons for the low delay Bremen Airport's success in adhering to flight schedules could be due to several factors. In contrast to international hubs such as Frankfurt or Munich, which have to handle thousands of take-offs and landings every day, Bremen has a comparatively manageable flight volume. This enables more efficient handling and reduces the likelihood of delays due to bottlenecks or overloads. Added to this is the airport's infrastructural location. Bremen has a single runway, which clearly structures traffic and minimizes the risk of delays due to complex taxiing procedures or tight slots. Significance for the region Bremen Airport is not only an important transport hub for northwest Germany, but also an economic and tourist factor for the entire region. With a

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EL AL expands summer flight schedule 2025 – More flights to the DA-CH region and USA

Amely Mizzi February 19, 2025 13:09

The Israeli airline EL AL has presented its summer flight schedule for 2025 and announced a significant expansion of its route network. Travelers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland in particular will benefit from additional flight connections to Tel Aviv. At the same time, the airline is increasing its commitment to the US market and is planning up to 52 weekly flights to the United States. Between March 30 and October 25, 2025, EL AL will increase its offering on routes between Israel and several Central European cities. Up to eight weekly flights to Tel Aviv will be available from Frankfurt, Munich and Vienna in the future. The flight times vary, with both morning and evening flights being offered. The connection from Berlin and Zurich to Tel Aviv will be particularly expanded, with passengers benefiting from 11 weekly frequencies. The offering from Geneva will also be increased to five weekly flights. The flight times are designed so that travelers have flexible departure options both in the morning and in the afternoon. According to the company, additional flights could be added to the program at short notice if there is high demand and sufficient capacity. Stronger presence in the USA In addition to the additional connections to Europe, EL AL is increasingly focusing on the US market. From May 2024, the airline will start five weekly flights between Tel Aviv and Boston. This connection is particularly important for the large Israeli and Jewish community in the region. In addition, EL AL will offer up to four daily flights to New York JFK, two daily flights to Newark and regular connections to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Boston in the 2025 summer season.

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