Airlines’ group criticises Frankfurt Airport fees increase

Airlines have slammed a decision to raise the charges for carriers using Frankfurt airport (FRA) in Germany at a time when rival European hubs are lowering their pricing structures.
The Board of Airline Representatives in Germany (BARIG), which represents around 100 national and international airlines based at Frankfurt, criticised the decision by the Hessian Ministry of Economics, Transport and Regional Development.
It believes that the decision to raise charges will penalise those airlines already resident at the German hub.
BARIG said in the statement: "Obviously, the new fee structure still provides incentives for new airlines starting operations from the airport, which places established airlines at a disadvantage. Being one of the most expensive airports, FRA has additionally increased its charges for landing and take-off, while charges at other large airports are decreasing, for example in London and Amsterdam."
BARIG’s secretary general, Michael Hoppe, said: “We will closely analyse the decision made today by the Hessian Ministry.
“We believe that the new charges catalogue discriminates established airlines that have been operating from Frankfurt Airport for many years. Fair competition is thereby impossible. Instead, a predatory competition with unpredictable consequences is initiated.” 
The customer lobby group had earlier called for a reduction in airport charges for all airlines after low cost carrier Ryanair announced that it would start flying into Germany’s largest hub next summer.
At the time, BARIG said that it wanted “the fully equal treatment for all airlines at Frankfurt – newcomers and airlines that are already operating alike”.