The European Commission approved, on June 27, 2018, EUR10.7 million euros (USD12.5 million) in state aid to Erfurt airport granted by the local authority of the Free State of Thuringia, a federal state in central Germany. The aid is targeted at keeping the small regional facility independent of low-cost carriers.
The aid granted by the local authority, which is a 100%-shareholder of the airport, is expected to cover Erfurt-Weimar's operating costs through 2024. It is a part of a new strategy, in which the shareholders expect to restructure the airport and focus on non-LCC traffic.
"The Commission found that the measure is in line with EU State aid rules, in particular, the Aviation Guidelines, as it will contribute to improving connections and facilitate regional development in Thuringia, without unduly distorting competition in the Single Market," the Commission said in the assessment. A full version of the assessment will be released in the future once confidentiality issues are resolved.
According to the ch-aviation capacity module, Erfurt-Weimar currently sees exclusively leisure traffic with Germania and Corendon Airlines operating a total of 28 weekly scheduled departures to destinations such as Antalya and Palma de Mallorca.
The airport in central Germany is located within a 200-kilometre radius from larger facilities at Leipzig/Halle, Nuremberg, and Hannover.
