International Hub in the Making: Hamburg Airport's Rise and Ambitions
Hamburg Airport Manages to Gain Promotion in Second League - Hamburg Airport Manages Successful Ascension to Second Tier
Hamburg Airport is riding high on a successful wave, despite missing major transatlantic destinations like New York. Following the COVID-19 crash, the airport predicts an 85% recovery with the summer flight schedule compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019, placing it in third place among German airports, according to a Senate response to a CDU parliamentary group query.
The spokesman for European and international affairs within the faction, Michael Becken, accuses the red-green coalition of lacking ambition, warning of allowing the airport to become a provincial airport.
Expansion of flights to Doha and Increased International Connectivity
Flights to locations such as Berlin (74% of the pre-pandemic level), Stuttgart (76%), and Cologne (80%) are lagging behind Hamburg in their development, as stated by the Senate. With around 120 destinations, Hamburg Airport, often referred to as Helmut Schmidt, has returned to 2019 levels.
In terms of direct long-haul connections, Hamburg Airport has actually exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 125% in terms of passenger volume. Long-haul flights usually encompass distances of 3,500 kilometers or more, roughly equivalent to distances to destinations like Hurghada or the Canary Islands, which are directly served from Hamburg.
The longest direct flights from Hamburg lead to Dubai and Doha in the United Arab Emirates, housing international hubs of Emirates and Qatar Airways. Qatar Airways has been operating this route daily non-stop for almost a year, which it claims will further improve international connectivity by 2025, according to the Senate.
Revival of the Hamburg - New York connection currently challenging
Other sought-after destinations, particularly for business travelers, in North and South America or Asia are missing from the Hamburg flight plan. These routes are typically linked via Frankfurt, Munich, or other major European airports, and it seems unlikely that this situation will change anytime soon.
Though there's speculation about reviving the non-stop connection to New York, which was canceled in 2018, the current political climate and disproportionate demand (mainly from the northern German market) make such connections challenging, as they would be operated solely by North American airlines, according to the Senate.
Strengthening Hamburg's Infrastructure for Future Growth
Hamburg is pushing for federal-level liberalization of traffic rights to better leverage future market opportunities with the Airbus A321 XLR, a long-haul aircraft designed for more economical Atlantic crossings. Airports like Hamburg, which cannot serve as hubs, rely heavily on the "One-Stop-Connectivity" concept, which links them to national and international hubs operating flights to all corners of the world.
According to the European airport association's ranking, Hamburg Airport ranks 22nd out of 473 European airports, placing it ahead of German competitors like Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, or Cologne/Bonn.
The CDU finds Senate's plans lacking in ambition
For CDU member Becken, the importance of Hamburg Airport appears to be overlooked by the red-green coalition. The coalition agreement contains no strategic orientation for the airport, and there are no plans to increase capacity in the long term, according to Becken.
Instead of emphasizing inner-city traffic, Transport Senator Anjes Tjarks (Greens) is urged to develop policies for the airport as well. "The airport in Hamburg must be urgently strengthened to fully exploit its potential and bolster Hamburg's economy," Becken stated.
- Hamburg
- Hamburg Airport
- New York
- Air Traffic
- Europe
- Coronavirus
- Senate
- CDU
- Doha
- Success Course
- Düsseldorf
- Red-Green
- Stuttgart
- Cologne
- Atlantic
- North America
- Berlin
- Helmut Schmidt
- Hurghada
Insights:
Despite a strong recovery post-pandemic, with passenger traffic surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2024 and continued growth expected in 2025, plans for expanding transatlantic destinations like New York are not yet officially announced, but align with the airport's growth trajectory and ambitions. Current long-haul routes include Dubai and Doha, while Hamburg serves over 13 million passengers and connects to more than 125 European destinations.
- The Hamburg Airport, having already surpassed pre-pandemic levels in long-haul passenger volume, is aiming for further growth in 2025, although plans for expanding transatlantic destinations like New York remain unofficial.
- The CDU, in their assessment, finds the Senate's plans for Hamburg Airport to be lacking in ambition, particularly in terms of increasing capacity and strategic orientation for the airport, especially considering its potential impact on the local economy.
