Letting fly home from the state from vacation, but not paying the cost share for the charter flights - this or something like that seems to be the motto for many Germans, because thousands of bills are still unpaid.

At the beginning of the first corona wave in March 2020, many European countries, including Germany and Austria, organized return campaigns. The Federal Republic of Germany organized around 260 charter flights to bring stranded vacationers home. However, these were not free of charge; instead, a previously defined contribution to the costs had to be paid. Austria made it easier for itself, because instead of - like Germany - subsequently sending invoices with a request for a transfer, the account details had to be given and the money was debited before departure.

The German Foreign Ministry sent around 54.000 requests for payment, of which the vast majority were paid or the people concerned were granted installment payments, but 7.000 were not paid at all, the DPA researched. In 1.200 cases, the state has already gone to court to collect the money.

Regardless of this: The Federal Republic of Germany took around 93,8 million euros in hand to bring stranded holidaymakers back home. Not until months later did the sending of requests for payment totaling around 31,7 million euros begin, of which around 28,6 million euros have so far been paid. In addition, they take in around four million euros from other EU countries. Around 500 people are said to have not received an invoice to date. The German Foreign Ministry is currently assuming that around 25 to 30 percent of the total costs will not be covered and will therefore be borne by the taxpayer.