Deteriorating German Air Network Warned by Lufthansa Leader
In an interview with "Bild am Sonntag", Carsten Spohr, CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa, expressed concerns about the connectivity of Germany's economic hub. Spohr criticized the blending quota for E-Fuels as a potential factor worsening the situation in aviation.
The blending quota for E-Fuels is a measure decided by the federal government to reduce CO2 emissions of aircraft. However, Spohr believes that this could increase costs for airlines, which in turn could impact the offer of flight connections.
The blending quota for E-Fuels is not yet available in sufficient quantities, which could add to the financial burden for airlines. Spohr also expressed concerns about further shrinking flight plans due to these issues.
The cancellation of flight connections by airlines like Eurowings and Ryanair has been a recent development in Germany's aviation industry. Spohr fears that these cancellations could have negative impacts on the location of Germany, potentially affecting its status as an economic hub in Europe.
It's worth noting that Spohr did not specify which state costs in air traffic he was referring to in the interview. The interview did not provide information on any potential solutions or actions being taken to address the impact of the blending quota for E-Fuels on the aviation industry.
In the past, Spohr has publicly expressed concerns about high airport fees, stringent state regulations, and bureaucratic hurdles in Germany, which he believed could negatively affect connectivity, competitiveness, and the role of German airports — especially Frankfurt, Lufthansa's main hub — as vital economic gateways. These factors were seen as potentially limiting Lufthansa's growth and Germany's status as an economic hub in Europe.
However, without current specific search results, I cannot provide direct or updated quotations or recent statements from Spohr on this matter as of July 2025. The search results mainly focus on a personal legal incident involving Spohr's wife and do not address Lufthansa's operational or economic perspectives.
Nonetheless, the Lufthansa CEO's concerns highlight potential economic challenges for Germany's aviation industry, with the blending quota for E-Fuels being one of the state regulations that Spohr criticized in the interview. Airlines, like Eurowings and Ryanair, have already started to feel the impact of these issues, with numerous flight connections being cancelled. It remains to be seen how these developments will unfold and what actions, if any, will be taken to address the concerns raised by Spohr.
- The blending quota for E-Fuels, a measure implemented by the federal government to decrease aviation's CO2 emissions, is a concern for Deutsche Lufthansa's CEO, Carsten Spohr, who believes it could increase costs for airlines, impact flight connections, and potentially harm Germany's status as an economic hub in Europe.
- Spohr's concerns about the blending quota for E-Fuels include its potential financial burden, as it's not yet available in sufficient quantities, and its potential impact on reducing flight plans, which he sees as having negative effects on Germany's economy and competitiveness.
- The concerns raised by Spohr about the blending quota for E-Fuels extend to the aviation industry as a whole, as carriers such as Eurowings and Ryanair have already felt the impact with numerous flight connections being cancelled. This situation, influenced by state regulations like the E-Fuels blending quota, may have far-reaching implications for the German economy, which depends heavily on the transportation, finance, industry, business, politics, and general-news sectors.
