Employees at Erfurt-Weimar Airport went on strike on Wednesday. The Komba union intends to increase pressure on employers with an all-day warning strike. The reason for this is the ongoing negotiations for a new company collective agreement, in which the union is demanding a significant salary increase. Specifically, employee pay should be aligned with the collective agreement for the public sector (TVöD). If this is not implemented, Komba is demanding at least a monthly wage increase of €350 for employees.
Although the warning strike at the airport is paralyzing operations, no direct impact on passengers is expected. According to a company spokeswoman, no takeoffs or landings were planned for Wednesday and Thursday anyway.
Wage demands meet resistance
The Komba union bases its demands on persistent inflation and rising living costs, which represent a significant financial burden for many workers. In the aviation sector in particular, wages have been rising below average for years, while demands on staff have continued to increase.
Erfurt Airport GmbH has not yet officially commented on the union's demands. However, it is clear that aligning with the TVöD would mean considerable additional costs for the operator. Since the airport receives millions of euros annually from the Thuringian state treasury, the state government is likely also interested in keeping the financial burden as low as possible.
According to Komba, the next collective bargaining talks are scheduled for Thursday. It remains to be seen whether management will accept the demands or whether the conflict will escalate further.
Hardly any regular air traffic, but unexpected guests
Erfurt-Weimar Airport is one of Germany's smaller commercial airports. Regular scheduled flights are rare, and most connections are charter flights. Accordingly, no immediate restrictions for travelers were expected as a result of the warning strike.
Despite the suspension of operations, a special situation arose at the beginning of the week: Due to simultaneous warning strikes at 13 other German airports, three airlines diverted their flights to Erfurt. Airports in Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, and other cities were paralyzed by strike action on Monday, prompting some airlines to use Erfurt as an alternative hub.
These unexpected landings demonstrated that Erfurt-Weimar Airport can, in exceptional cases, serve as an alternative airport for domestic and international air traffic. However, this is unlikely to be a sustainable model, as the infrastructure and passenger volume are not comparable to those of Germany's major hubs.
Erfurt-Weimar Airport – a subsidized operation?
Erfurt-Weimar Airport is regularly criticized for its heavy dependence on state subsidies. The majority shareholder is the state of Thuringia, which invests millions in its operations annually. Critics see this as an uneconomical subsidy, especially since regular scheduled flight traffic is extremely limited.
Proponents of the airport, however, argue that the infrastructure plays an important role in the regional economy, cargo traffic, and special flights. Furthermore, the airport provides jobs that are important to the region.
How the collective bargaining negotiations develop will also determine whether the state government will inject further financial support into the operation or demand more efficient use of the funds. A prolonged industrial dispute could increase the pressure on those responsible to find a viable solution for the airport's future.
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