1/17/2008

Bavarian Ministry of Transport provides € 4.1 million for the modernization and redevelopment of Augsburg City Airport

Müller: "Development and modernization will secure the future of Augsburg City Airport"

MUNICH  Good news for Augsburg City Airport: the Bavarian Ministry of Transport has undertaken to provide aid of close on € 4.1 million for the redevelopment and modernization of Augsburg Regional Airport as soon as the project plans have been completed by Augsburger Flughafen GmbH. "The funding will be used to secure the future of the Augsburg airfield and to make it into a modern airport for business travel and inter-plant air traffic in the region. In addition, the prerequisites are being created for setting up other aviation businesses", explained Bavaria’s Economics Minister Emilia Müller referring to the notice issued by the government of Swabia to Augsburger Flughafen GmbH regarding the granting of support funding.

After airline services from Augsburg were finally suspended in May 2005, the City of Augsburg drew up a concept to redevelop the Regional Airport into an advanced City Airport for business air travelers and agreed it with the State of Bavaria. Following the agreements, the European Commission found in March 2007 - at the request of Bavaria - that the public funding of infrastructure projects at Augsburg Airport was in line with Community regulations. "This cleared the way for government support of the Airport project", commented Minister Müller.

The funding will be used in particular for remediation of the runway, development of new hall facilities complete with roads, apron areas and taxiways to the runway, measures for sewage disposal as well as the supply of drinking water and water for firefighting purposes. Altogether a total of some € 8.2 million is being invested in the development project, which is expected to be completed by the autumn of 2008.

Müller: "Augsburg City Airport is an important location factor for the region and the industry based there." After the commercial airports in Munich and Nuremberg, Augsburg Airport handles the highest volume of traffic in Bavaria. It has all the major operating facilities for commercial air services. An instrument landing system means that aircraft can fly even in unfavorable weather conditions. Thanks to its permanent customs office and customs clearance facilities the Airport is excellently equipped for international traffic. In 2006, close on 53,000 engine-powered flights were handled by the Airport.

Source: Invest in Bavaria