Lübeck Airport has been offering scheduled flights to Munich and Stuttgart under the Lübeck Air brand. Connections to Austria and Switzerland are to be added this year. Airport boss Jürgen Friedel confirmed this to the Ostholsteiner Anzeiger.

The timing of the establishment of the connections to the two neighboring German countries is still open and, according to Lübeck Director Friedel, depends on the further development of aviation “after Corona”. In an interview with the local newspaper, there is optimism that demand will pick up this year. For March 2020 there are significantly more bookings on the existing routes to Stuttgart and Munich.

The manager did not say which airports in Austria and Switzerland should be connected to Lübeck. The flight operations of the Lübeck Air brand are carried out by the Danish Air Alsie. An ATR72-500 turboprop aircraft is used for scheduled services.

The capacity of the domestic German routes has been reduced to 40 percent due to the pandemic. Jürgen Friedel is confident that due to the current booking situation, around 2021 percent can be achieved again in March 80. He also points out that 90 percent of passengers are business travelers.

Old hangar will be increased

Some modernizations are being carried out at Lübeck Airport itself. For example, the new construction of the tower is planned. The corresponding work should start in about five months. Friedel emphasizes to the Ostholsteiner Anzeiger that a restaurant is to be set up under the tower.

The long-term plan to expand the terminal is on hold. The implementation should depend on the demand for the pandemic. The renovation of the administration wing is currently a higher priority.

In the aviation area, a fifty-year-old hangar is to be modernized. This was originally built for General Air, which no longer exists. Jürgen Friedel emphasizes to the regional newspaper that the renovation is cheaper than a new building. The hall will in future be home to both the ATR72-500 and the Falcon 7X. The current problem: The hangar is too low and needs to be increased accordingly. The work should be completed by June 2021.