Lufthansa CEO may scrap cargo fleet if Frankfurt night flights banned

LUFTHANSA CEO Carsten Spohr said he was considering giving up all of the German flag carrier's 19 air cargo planes if night flights are banned from Frankfurt airport, Reuters reports.

"Everything that goes toward a single-digit number [of flights allowed per night] would mean that it no longer pays to have our own cargo fleet," said Mr Spohr.

Locals have been battling night flights at Germany's largest airport as plans unfold to add another runway. A court recently ruled that responsibility for a night flight ban rested with the Hesse provincial government after local residents appealed for protection against noise pollution.

In 2007, the provincial government approved airport expansion plans, but on condition night flights were restricted to 17 from 11pm to 5am. Lufthansa said it alone would need 23 night flights a day by 2020.
 

Source: Sched Net