Countries seal exit from airport funding from 2030

Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt have formally sealed their agreement on the gradual withdrawal of funding for Leipzig/Halle and Dresden airports from 2030. Minister Presidents Michael Kretschmer and Sven Schulze (both CDU) signed a joint declaration on Mitteldeutsche Flughafen AG (MFAG) on the sidelines of a meeting of the Bundesrat in Berlin. According to the two states, the aim is to sustainably restructure the two airports and operate them economically without state funding at the end of the decade.

"Leipzig/Halle and Dresden airports are engines for economic development in Central Germany," said Kretschmer. They secure jobs and added value and are "essential for the transport links in our region". The new agreement creates planning security "in order to successfully complete the initiated restructuring and make the airports fit for the future". At the same time, the federal government is committed to "further improving the framework conditions for air traffic in Germany".

Leipzig/Halle as Europe's logistics hub

Saxony-Anhalt's new Minister President Schulze pointed out the importance of air traffic for his federal state. "Saxony-Anhalt has developed into an important logistics location in the heart of Europe in recent years," he said. Air traffic is a decisive building block and driving force for the economy. For this reason, the state of Saxony-Anhalt will also support the restructuring of Leipzig/Halle Airport in the coming years.

The agreement provides for compensation payments to MFAG for costs of a non-economic nature, which are to be gradually reduced. The total amount will be reduced from 37 million euros in 2026 to 28 million euros in 2027, 21 million euros in 2028 and 13 million euros in 2029. No more payments are planned from 2030. Saxony will contribute 81.3 percent of the costs and Saxony-Anhalt 18.7 percent.

Special arrangement for Dresden

Saxony-Anhalt's contribution will be used exclusively for tasks at Leipzig/Halle Airport. From 2027 and initially until 2030, Dresden will receive structural compensation of nine million euros annually for non-economic costs, borne solely by the Free State of Saxony.

The main owners of MFAG are Saxony with around 77.3 percent of the shares and Saxony-Anhalt with around 18.5 percent. Further shares are held by the cities of Leipzig, Dresden and Halle.

The agreement is subject to budget approval as long as the state budgets for 2027/28 have not yet been decided.