New concept at Frankfurt Airport: Increase in departures via Taunus!

New concept at Frankfurt Airport: Increase in departures via Taunus!

Traffic planning at Frankfurt Airport is facing a decisive turning point. An increase in flight movements requires a new operating concept, which is being developed in dialogue between Fraport and German Air Traffic Control (DFS). A significant increase in departures to the northwest via the Taunus is planned. However, this plan is met with resistance in the region.

According to current forecasts, up to 560,000 takeoffs and landings per year are expected by 2033, an increase compared to 519,000 in the record year 2019 and 441,000 in 2024. Fraport and DFS plan to increase future capacity to up to 110 takeoffs and landings per hour. To make this possible, changes to the departure concept are required, including a reallocation of departures and the introduction of new procedures that allow a reduction in safety distances.

Planned changes and regional resistance

The changes mainly affect westbound departures, which will be flown about 70% of days. While the southern bypass will be used less intensively in the future, those responsible expect a slight reduction in the number of people affected by noise through the alternating use of the new departure routes. However, these adjustments do not meet with the approval of local municipalities. Hochheim am Main in particular, under the leadership of Mayor Dirk Westedt, has expressed concerns and announced legal action.

The Aircraft Noise Commission is also skeptical about the new plans. Fraport emphasizes that the concept is currently still in the development phase and that the opinions of all those involved should be included in the dialogue. Final completion of the new operating concept is expected next year, suggesting that discussions on noise reduction and flight routes are far from over.

Monitor aircraft noise

In addition to the planned changes, the noise situation in Frankfurt will also be intensively monitored. The Aircraft Noise Protection Unit publishes quarterly reports on current noise developments. There are eight aircraft noise measuring stations in operation in the city that collect data on noise pollution. The current report, which refers to the 4th quarter of 2024, analyzes measurements from seven of the city's stations in Oberrad, Sachsenhausen, Niederrad, Bergen-Enkheim and Gallus.

The results show that flight movements at Frankfurt Airport have been steadily increasing since the end of the Corona restrictions. In 2024, over 442,574 aircraft movements were recorded, an increase compared to 430,362 in the previous year. A high continuous sound level is recorded at almost all measuring stations during the day (6 a.m. to 10 p.m.), and at night the values ​​at many stations also exceed the WHO guideline value of 40 dB. 1,238 flight movements were documented between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

The monitoring results make it clear how much the increasing flight movements are affecting the noise pollution of citizens in Frankfurt and the surrounding area. The continuous sound level, which measures the average noise exposure over defined periods of time, is used in the various laws and regulations to set limit values, which underlines the complexity of the topic.

In view of current developments, it is clear that the questions surrounding flight routes, noise protection and regional interests must continue to be discussed intensively in the coming months. The effects of the planned changes will be of key importance not only for the airport operators, but above all for the local residents.

For further information on developments at Frankfurt Airport please visit hessenschau.de and on the noise measurements in Frankfurt frankfurt.de.