Rene Steuer

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Rene Steuer

Customs confiscates walrus tusk at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport

Last weekend, customs officers at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport confiscated a walrus tusk from the suitcase of a 24-year-old traveler from Georgia. The tusk, which was around 60 centimeters long and weighed two kilograms, was wrapped in a bed sheet. The woman said it was a gift from her father, who lives in Russia. As walruses are subject to special protection, customs are now investigating the case. Illegal importation could result in a fine of up to 10.000 euros - if the tusk is purchased, a fine of up to 50.000 euros could be imposed.

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Lufthansa and the fight for punctuality: tensions at the Munich hub

Lufthansa is under pressure. The group is struggling with punctuality problems, which have become an increasingly pressing issue in the aviation industry. CEO Carsten Spohr is dissatisfied with the current punctuality figures, especially at the Munich hub. This dissatisfaction led to a public exchange of blows between Lufthansa and Munich Airport, whose boss, Jost Lammers, rejects the allegations as unfounded. The discussion sheds light on the challenges facing Lufthansa and other airlines and on the responsibilities within complex aviation logistics. Punctuality as a challenge The punctuality of Lufthansa flights has suffered in recent months. Spohr expressed his dissatisfaction with the current figures and spoke of a possible realignment of capacities at the Munich hub. The plans to possibly withdraw five A2025-350s from Munich to Frankfurt by 900 are a clear sign that Lufthansa is looking for ways to improve the efficiency and reliability of its flights. During a recent wave of departures, passengers piled up at the security checkpoints, causing around 750 travellers to miss their flights. These incidents are particularly embarrassing for an airline that positions itself as a premium provider and relies on punctuality and service. An airport under pressure Jost Lammers, the head of Munich Airport, sees Lufthansa's accusations as unjustified. He points out that the airport is doing well in terms of punctuality and is constantly growing. Lammers also attributes the bottlenecks at the security lanes to the installation of new CT scanners, which are intended to ensure a higher level of security. He stresses that Munich will be able to offer a higher level of security from the summer.

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Paderborn Airport expects 60.000 passengers during the 2024 autumn holidays

Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport is expecting around 60.000 passengers for the upcoming autumn holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia. This represents a slight increase compared to the previous year, when 57.506 passengers were counted. Roland Hüser, Managing Director of the airport, is satisfied with people's current desire to travel and expects the aircraft to be at high capacity. The airport is also benefiting from popular travel destinations such as Turkey, Spain and Greece, which continue to be in high demand. Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport continues to record stable demand for holiday flights, which should have a positive effect on the overall result. Thanks to the reliable bookings, the airport is well prepared for the upcoming holiday weeks.

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Air Arabia: Expansion plans with A321XLR until 2027

Sharjah-based low-cost airline Air Arabia has ambitious plans for the coming years. According to Managing Director Adel Abdullah Ali, the airline is expected to receive its first Airbus A2027-321NY(XLR) in 200. With this new aircraft type, Air Arabia aims to significantly expand its reach and start direct flights from its bases in Morocco and the Middle East to countries such as Russia and South Africa. This strategic decision could not only help the airline enter new markets but also increase its competitiveness in the highly competitive aviation market. Geographical expansion and strategic objectives Air Arabia has a clear growth strategy aimed at entering new markets. In an interview at the Routes World 2024 event in Bahrain, Ali explained that the new A321-XLR aircraft will enable the airline to fly not only within the Middle East, but also to Russia and even as far as South Africa. “In Morocco, we expect to enter the Middle East and further to Russia,” he explained. Ali also highlighted the untapped potential of Egypt as an important market that could be of interest to Air Arabia. The new aircraft type will enable Air Arabia to offer long-haul flights that were previously not possible due to the limitations of older models. The A321-XLR offers a longer range and could therefore enable the airline to serve markets that were previously out of its reach. This could be particularly important for competition in European and African airspace. Fleet management and future deliveries Air Arabia currently has a fleet of 47

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Graz Airport expands its gastronomic offer with snack machines

Graz Airport has expanded its service offering with four new snack machines from Café+Co, which are available 24 hours a day during the airport's opening hours. These machines offer drinks, snacks and light meals supplied by Austrian manufacturers, such as Krainer Wurst. The new self-service area in the public arrivals area offers passengers and visitors to the airport more flexibility in terms of catering, even during off-peak hours when other catering options are not available. Jürgen Löschnig, Managing Director of Graz Airport, emphasized that the expansion was implemented after intensive consideration to improve the supply of guests and employees of the airport. Gerald Matzner-Holsmer, Managing Director of Café+Co Austria, emphasized that the cooperation meets the highest quality and service standards and offers passengers quick access to high-quality snacks and drinks.

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Stuttgart: Winter flight schedule 2024/2025 brings more flight movements and new destinations

With the change to winter time on October 27, 2024, the new winter flight schedule will come into force and will be valid until March 29, 2025. The airlines are planning around 25.000 takeoffs and landings, which corresponds to an increase in flight movements of almost ten percent compared to the previous year. In addition to popular winter destinations such as the Canary Islands and Spain, many airlines are expanding their offerings. Eurowings is adding Rovaniemi and Tromsö to its program for the first time and is increasing the frequency of flights to Dubai. Wizz Air is expanding its routes to include Sofia and continues to offer connections to Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca and Tirana. Holiday destinations such as Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Marsa Alam are also on the schedule. Marabu Airlines' new base in Stuttgart will serve sunny destinations in the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands and Egypt from this winter. Important transfer hubs such as Amsterdam, London and Istanbul will continue to be served several times a day, ensuring connections to global route networks.

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Schauinsland-Reisen takes over Blum Holiday Tours

The tour operator Schauinsland-Reisen is continuing its expansion strategy in stationary sales and is taking over the travel agency chain Blum Holiday Tours on November 1, 2024. The company, which operates in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region, operates nine branches and has been established in Ludwigshafen and the surrounding area for over 60 years. With the takeover, Schauinsland is strengthening its market presence in the Rhine-Neckar area and expanding its branch network to a total of over 70 of its own travel agencies. After the takeover, Blum Holiday Tours will be fully integrated into the structure of Schauinsland-Reisen, but the sales team of 48 employees will remain. Schauinsland boss Gerald Kassner emphasizes that stationary sales will remain an essential part of the company. The two Blum managing directors welcome the takeover and see Schauinsland-Reisen as a strong partner who offers them a long-term perspective in the travel business.

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Norse Atlantic Airways sets record in September 2024

Norse Atlantic Airways has set a new company record in September 2024 when the airline achieved an average load factor of 89%, an increase of 11 percentage points year-on-year. During this period, the airline carried 146.688 passengers, an increase of 11% year-on-year, and operated a total of 513 flights, including 29 charter flights. The airline successfully completed all scheduled flights, with 81% of flights landing within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure time. CEO Bjorn Tore Larsen expressed his satisfaction with this milestone, especially in relation to the increased charter operations and the sale of over two million tickets since the airline was founded in 2022. In addition, Norse Atlantic has already released flights for the 2025 summer season until October.

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Protest against loss-making Kassel Airport

In Kassel, around 120 people demonstrated against the loss-making Kassel Airport. The rally took place as part of longer climate protests by the group Last Generation, which called for taxpayers' money to be invested in sustainable projects instead of in "fossil self-destruction". The demonstrators pointed to the effects of the climate catastrophe and criticized the fact that a deficit of 2023 million euros was recorded for the airport in 4,98. The event, which took place on the harbor bridge, was supported by several organizations, including Scientist Rebellion, Parents Against the Fossil Industry and Extinction Rebellion. The police reported that it was peaceful and without major incidents. Kassel Airport, which has been in the red since it opened over ten years ago, currently offers only limited flight connections and is mainly used for business trips.

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Tarom sells four Airbus A318s to 3TOP Aviation

Romanian airline Tarom has found a buyer for its four Airbus A318-100s. British company 3TOP Aviation Services, which specialises in dismantling aircraft, will purchase the aircraft. The sale is part of a major restructuring that Tarom has initiated after years of financial difficulties. The Airbus A318s, which were added to the fleet between 2006 and 2007, will be used as spare parts donors. Only one A318 currently remains in regular service. The airline has previously taken steps to improve its financial situation, including closing ticket agencies in 12 cities and reducing its fleet. The sale of the A318s is intended to help Tarom focus on the remaining aircraft and future business opportunities. This move reduces the number of Airbus A318s still in operation worldwide to just 26 aircraft.

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