Soaring High: Hamburg Airport's Success in the Second Division
Airport in Hamburg advances to second tier operations level - Hamburg Airport succeeds in securing a spot in the second tier of airline operations.
Hamburg Airport's growth trajectory impresses the Senate, despite a lack of transatlantic destinations like New York. The airport is expected to recover 85% with the summer flight plan compared to pre-pandemic times, making it the third-largest German airport, surpassing Düsseldorf, according to the Senate's response to a CDU Parliamentary Group inquiry.
Michael Becken, the spokesperson for Europe and International Affairs in the CDU faction, criticizes the Red-Green government, calling them short-sighted and warning against transforming Hamburg Airport into a "provincial airport."
A flight increase to Doha expands the array of offerings
Airports like Berlin, Stuttgart, and Cologne are behind Hamburg in their recovery, with Hamburg Airport Helmut Schmidt reaching the 2019 level with around 120 destinations. In terms of direct long-haul connections, Hamburg Airport has even surpassed its pre-pandemic volume by 125%.
Flights over 3,500 kilometers, such as to the Egyptian resort of Hurghada or the Canary Islands, symbolize long-haul flights.
The longest direct flights from Hamburg lead to Dubai and Doha in the United Arab Emirates, acting as global hubs for Emirates and Qatar Airways. Qatar Airways has been operating daily non-stop flights for almost a year, improving international connectivity even more by 2025, as per the Senate's statement.
A revival of Hamburg – New York connection seems challenging for now.
Other North and South American or Asian destinations for business travelers are absent from the Hamburg flight plan. These routes typically pass through Doha, Frankfurt, Munich, or other major European airports, making route changes unlikely in the near future, according to the Senate.
While there are rumors about a revival of the non-stop connection to New York, discontinued in 2018, the current political climate and disproportionate demand (predominantly from the northern German market) make acquiring such connections difficult, with airline operators only coming from North America.
Hamburg focuses on "One-Stop-Connectivity"
Hamburg is pushing for the liberalization of traffic rights at the national level, capitalizing on opportunities offered by the Airbus A321 XLR, long-haul aircraft built in Finkenwerder. This will help airlines operate transatlantic connections more efficiently.
For airports like Hamburg, "One-Stop-Connectivity"—the ability to connect to national and international hubs from which flights to all parts of the world can be made—is crucial to their location quality. According to the current European airport association ranking, Hamburg Airport ranks a respectable 22nd out of 473 airports in Europe, overtaking competitors like Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, or Cologne/Bonn.
For the CDU, the Senate's plans are deemed insufficiently ambitious.
"The Hamburg Airport, a vital factor for the city, gets no special consideration from the Red-Green coalition," claims Becken. The coalition agreement does not outline a strategic direction for the airport, and long-term capacity expansion is not planned, potentially stifling economic growth for Hamburg.
Instead of focusing on inner-city traffic, Transport Senator Anjes Tjarks (Greens) should focus more on airport policy, demanding the urgent strengthening of Hamburg Airport to fully leverage 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
Insight snippets:
- Current transatlantic strategies for Hamburg Airport focus more on European, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern destinations than direct flights to the US, with long-haul connections mainly via Doha[1].
- Major German carriers prioritize their long-haul operations and premium product deployments for transatlantic routes through larger hubs like Munich and Frankfurt, making it challenging for Hamburg to compete in this area[5].
- Hamburg Airport is strategically positioned as a significant regional and European player but lags behind Frankfurt and Munich in terms of global connectivity and competitive position as a major transatlantic hub[2].
EC countries can benefit from Hamburg Airport's cooperation with developing countries, such as Doha, in terms of improved international connectivity, as Qatar Airways plans to increase flights even more by 2025. The expansion of Hamburg Airport's offerings beyond Europe could serve as a model for cooperation with other developing countries.
Hamburg Airport's focus on "One-Stop-Connectivity" also pertains to sports, particularly football, as it allows for easier travel for teams playing in tournaments across the globe. The airport's strategic location and potential for long-haul connections could be advantageous for teams participating in events hosted in various continents.
