In future, only aircraft with a maximum length of 39 meters will be allowed to land at Klagenfurt Airport, since the airport has requested that the firefighting category be downgraded to level 6.

This has no practical implications for Austrian Airlines and Eurowings, as the aircraft deployed to Klagenfurt is shorter than 39 meters. Ryanair, on the other hand, could have problems because the Boeing 737-800 and Max 200 machine types would be 47 centimeters too long.

The Austrian Ministry of Transport (BMK) confirmed to 5Min.at: “Klagenfurt Airport has applied to the Ministry of Climate Protection to change the firefighting category from the current 8 to 6 in the future. The firefighting category is based on the size of the aircraft using the airport. The relevant firefighting category then determines the required extinguishing resources such as the number of fire engines and the amount of extinguishing agent. However, if necessary, the category can be raised back to 8”.

If no “exemption” is granted for Ryanair, Klagenfurt Airport would have to apply for the upgrade again for the low-coster flights planned from the winter timetable 2022/23. In category 8, machines up to a maximum length of 61 meters may use the airport.