Letter: Business warns against cuts at airports

Representatives from politics, business and science have called on Lufthansa not to restrict its connections from Leipzig/Halle and Dresden airports. The Dresden and Leipzig/Halle airports are indispensable hubs for Saxony's international competitiveness, the Saxon Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHKs) announced in a joint letter. The trade fair and congress locations of Leipzig and Dresden in particular, as well as the dynamically growing semiconductor and microelectronics industry, would be massively affected by flight cancellations.

"With its high-tech industries, strong SMEs and excellent research landscape, Saxony is in global competition," said Max Jankowsky, President of the Chemnitz Chamber of Industry and Commerce and spokesperson for the state working group of Saxony's CCIs. A good range of flight connections and links to important hubs are a basic prerequisite for this. "Every reduction in the flight schedule is a setback."

Open solidarity against impending cuts

The letter to Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr was signed by Saxony's Minister of Economic Affairs Dirk Panter (SPD), representatives of the business community and the rectors of the universities of Leipzig and Dresden, among others. They also see the planned dismissal of all ground staff at the Lufthansa subsidiaries in Leipzig and Dresden at the end of 2025 as a further alarm signal.

"The dismissal of Lufthansa ground staff must be an alarm signal for politicians," emphasized Fabian Magerl, Managing Director of the Leipzig Chamber of Industry and Commerce. The right steps must now be taken to ensure that Leipzig/Halle and Dresden remain competitive as flight locations. "First and foremost, this includes a rapid reduction in taxes and charges for air traffic," explained Magerl.

Call for clear signals from Berlin

The alliance is calling for the existing flight connections to at least be maintained and expanded in the future. At the same time, federal policy must ensure fair competitive conditions, it said.