The sale of Rostock-Laage Airport by the Zeitfracht Group to the Berlin Industrial Investment Company Crisp Partners has sparked a debate in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania about the future role of air transport in tourism.
While tourism officials emphasize the urgent need to keep the airport open for civilian use in order to attract guests from heatwave-plagued southern Europe and to expand cruise tourism, the Bundeswehr, for its part, is examining the impact of the change of ownership on military use. The future of the airport, which has already struggled with economic difficulties in the past, now depends on a complex web of economic interests, tourism hopes, and the strategic plans of the German military.
A new owner and the hopes of the tourism industry
After turbulent years and frequent changes of ownership, Rostock-Laage Airport once again faces an uncertain future. Zeitfracht Group, which had operated the airport since 2019, announced the sale to the Berlin investment company Crisp Partners This move triggered immediate reactions in the regional tourism industry. Everyone agreed: the airport must be secured as an essential infrastructure for tourism in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Kai Otto, the head of the tour operator PTI Panoramica in Roggentin, summarized the concerns and hopes in a letter to the Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig and Minister of Economic Affairs Wolfgang Blank He argues that northern Europe is becoming increasingly attractive to travelers from southern regions, as people seek to escape the extreme summer heat. In this context, the airport is a crucial arrival point for vacationers, which could generate a "significant increase in inbound travel." Otto cited the Scandinavian markets as a model, which have already benefited from such developments for years.
This view is also shared by the regional head of the Hotel and Restaurant Association dehoga, Lars Schwarz, divided. As the "Ostsee-Zeitung" reported, Schwarz believes the state has a duty to do more to support the airport. He described the failed privatization as a "great missed opportunity and wasted potential" and emphasized that the "number one tourist destination" is still far from attracting large numbers of foreign guests.
Economics Minister Blank's figures support this statement. According to his figures, the share of foreign tourists in total overnight stays in 2024 was only around 983.000, corresponding to approximately three percent of the total 32,9 million overnight stays. Blank sees this as a significant, untapped potential.
The uncertain role of the Bundeswehr at the location
Rostock-Laage Airport is a so-called “dual-use” airport, meaning it is used for both civil and military purposes. A large part of the area is used by the Tactical Air Force Wing 73 “Steinhoff” of the Bundeswehr, which is the only unit of the German Air Force equipped with the fighter aircraft Eurofighter Typhoon is located there. The civil use of the airfield is regulated by contract, with the civil part of the airfield, through which civil air traffic is handled, being owned by the federal government.
In response to an inquiry, a spokeswoman for the Bundeswehr explained that the change of ownership of the civilian operating company would necessitate a review of its impact on military use. The main question is whether and in what form the existing civil-commercial joint use can be continued. This review is crucial, as it forms the basis for the new owner's future work. The Bundeswehr's military interests have priority here, which could significantly restrict planning for the civilian part of the airport.
The military base in Laage is strategically important for the German Air Force, particularly for pilot training and air security over northern Germany. The close integration of civilian and military use always harbors a certain potential for conflict and presents the airport with particular challenges. Without a clear agreement and contractual safeguards with the Bundeswehr, investments in the civilian part of the airport are unlikely to be made, severely limiting development opportunities.
An airport with a turbulent history and low profitability
The history of Rostock-Laage Airport as a civilian site has been marked by financial problems. It was opened as a military airfield in the late 1980s and only opened to civil air traffic after German reunification. For decades, the airport was operated by a company in which the city of Rostock and the Rostock district, among others, held stakes. However, the lack of profitable flight connections and high operating costs regularly led to losses that had to be offset by the public shareholders.
The sale to the Zeitfracht Group In 2019, a new era of privatization was supposed to usher in. However, hopes for a recovery were not fulfilled. The number of flight connections remained manageable. The flight schedule primarily consisted of seasonal charter flights to Mediterranean holiday destinations and occasional city breaks. The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic further exacerbated the situation, causing passenger numbers to plummet to a minimum. The lack of year-round profitability of civil flight operations and the dependence on a few tourist routes made the privatization model appear a failure in the eyes of critics.
The new owner, Crisp Partners, is now taking over an airport with low passenger numbers but great potential that has yet to be tapped. The company must find a way to operate the airport profitably in the coming months without having to rely on financial support from the state.
The potential as a hub for the Warnemünde cruise port
A key argument used by proponents of expanding civil air traffic in Laage is cruise tourism in Rostock-Warnemünde. The port is one of Germany's most important cruise destinations. However, most passengers arrive by land.
- A well-connected airport in close proximity to the cruise port could create a strategic bridge for international passengers.
- A quick journey by plane would be particularly advantageous for guests from Great Britain, France or the Scandinavian countries.
- Increased air traffic could help the region to be perceived as an attractive destination for longer stays, rather than just as a transit point for cruise ships.
Cruise tourists are typically high-income travelers who generate additional revenue for local hotels, restaurants, and retailers. The vision of tourism professionals is to create a seamless travel chain that extends from arrival at the airport to boarding the cruise ship. However, the realization of these plans depends crucially on the future direction of the new owner.
New owners, new plans? The role of Crisp Partners
The Crisp Partners GmbH is a Berlin-based investment company specializing in investments in companies with development potential. Unlike the Zeitfracht Group, which originates from the logistics sector, Crisp Partners has no proven experience in airport management. Its focus is more on restructuring and reorienting business models. This could mean that the new owner is seeking a radical change of course to make the airport profitable.
There are many possible scenarios for the future.
- The new owner could focus on freight transport, which has played only a minor role in the past.
- It is also conceivable that Crisp Partners views the airport as a purely commercial site where other companies could locate.
- Further development as a civil airport, as hoped by tourism officials, would require significant investments to build an attractive route network and modernize the necessary infrastructure.
In the coming months, the new owner must clarify how it intends to reconcile the diverse requirements and interests. Negotiations with the Bundeswehr will play a key role in this. The decision will not only determine the future of the airport but also significantly influence the tourism development of an entire region.
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