Hamburg Airport's Momentum in the Second Tier
Hamburg Airport's Victory in the Second-tier League - Hamburg Airport makes it to the second tier of success
Casual Chat
The ol' Hamburg Airport seems to be kicking ass and taking names - even without direct flights to glitzy locations like New York City. After the coronavirus crash, the airport anticipates a staggering 85% recovery of passengers with the summer flight schedule compared to the pre-covid year of 2019. This puts them in third place among German airports, beating out Düsseldorf, according to the Senate's response to a questioning from the CDU parliamentary group.
Michael Becken, the spokesperson for Europe and International Affairs in the CDU faction, isn't impressed. He accuses the Red-Green coalition of not having the ambition they need, warning that Hamburg could devolve into just another "provincial airport."
More flights to Doha expand options for travelers
"Airports like Berlin (74% of pre-pandemic levels), Stuttgart (76%), and Cologne (80%) are lagging behind Hamburg in their rebound," the Senate explains. With over 120 destinations, Hamburg Airport Helmut Schmidt has bounced back to pre-pandemic levels. "In terms of direct long-haul connections, Hamburg Airport has even surpassed 125% of its pre-covid passenger volume," they add.
Long-haul flights typically cover distances of 3,500 kilometers or more - about the distance to popular holiday spots like Hurghada or the Canary Islands, which are direct from Hamburg.
The longest direct flights from Hamburg lead to Dubai and Doha in the United Arab Emirates - providing access to the international hubs of Emirates and Qatar Airways. Qatar has been running this route daily non-stop for almost a year, which "will further enhance international connectivity by 2025," as the Senate states.
Reviving the Hamburg - New York connection is a challenge
Missing from the Hamburg flight schedule are popular destinations, especially for business travelers, in North and South America or Asia. These routes usually involve layovers in Doha before continuing to major European airports - and they're unlikely to change anytime soon, according to the Senate.
Though there's talk of renewing the non-stop connection to New York, which was cancelled in 2018, the political climate and uneven demand (mostly from the northern German market) make this tough for airlines to tackle. Only North American carriers would operate such connections.
Hamburg emphasizes "One-Stop-Connectivity" for future success
Hamburg is pushing for federal-level deregulation of air traffic rights to better exploit future market opportunities with the Airbus A321 XLR, allowing for more affordable transatlantic travel. This long-haul aircraft, built in Finkenwerder, could enable airlines to establish transatlantic connections more economically.
For non-hub airports like Hamburg, "One-Stop-Connectivity" to national and international hubs from where flights to all parts of the world can depart is crucial. According to the European airport association's current ranking, Hamburg Airport ranks an impressive 22nd out of 473 European airports, even surpassing German competitors like Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, or Cologne/Bonn.
CDU finds Senate's approach lacking in drive
It's pretty clear to CDU member Becken: "The Hamburg Airport doesn't seem to matter much to Red-Green." The coalition agreement doesn't offer a strategic direction for the airport. "Long-term capacity isn't increasing - a disappointing move for the second-largest city of the third-largest economy in the world," he told the German Press Agency.
Instead of focusing on city center traffic, Transport Senator Anjes Tjarks (Greens) needs to start considering the airport too, Becken urges. "The airport in Hamburg must be urgently strengthened to fully exploit its potential and boost Hamburg's economy."
- Hamburg
- Hamburg Airport
- New York
- Air Traffic
- Europe
- Coronavirus
- Senate
- CDU
- Doha
- Success Course
- Düsseldorf
- Red-Green
- Stuttgart
- Cologne
- Atlantic
- North America
- Berlin
- Helmut Schmidt
- Hurghada
Insights: Post-pandemic, Hamburg Airport has been recovering steadily from the impact of COVID-19, but its performance relative to other German airports like Düsseldorf depends on multiple factors such as airline strategies and passenger demand. The Senate's focus on long-haul routes like New York has been limited, with only Qatar offering direct non-stop flights to Doha from Hamburg. The resumption and expansion of such long-haul connections may incidentally improve as global travel stabilizes and passengers demand increases.
- EC countries, cooperation with the developing countries: The strengthening of the Hamburg Airport could lead to enhanced international connectivity, facilitating cooperation with developing countries as well as EC nations through expanded transportation networks.
- Industry, finance: To boost Hamburg's economy and fully exploit the potential of the airport, it's crucial for the Red-Green coalition to focus on air traffic strategies and foster partnerships with industries such as finance, which could attract investments and stimulate economic growth.
- Public-transit, transportation, automotive: A more ambitious approach towards the airport could encourage public-transit improvements and investments in transportation infrastructure, reducing reliance on the automotive industry and promoting cleaner, more efficient travel solutions for both locals and travelers.
