Business Flights: Short and Sweet

Short-haul flights have been roundly criticized for some time now in light of efforts to reach climate targets. But the business world continues to depend on quick connections. Regional airports, which stimulate their local communities but in most cases have yet to operate economically and are therefore regarded with skepticism, could play a key role here. “With innovative business strategies, short-haul flights can continue to offer rapid connections,” says aviation expert Marc Landgraf from Porsche Consulting.

Walter Schoefer, Managing Director and Management Spokesman for Flughafen Stuttgart GmbH and an advisory board member for Baden-Airpark GmbH, is convinced that regional airports are well-positioned to make the needed transition to greater sustainability. Regarding his regional airport situated between the Rhine River and the A5 freeway, he notes that “we have the space here to try out new approaches such as solar power systems and electric charging stations.” The latter have been almost entirely absent from aviation facilities throughout Germany. Nor have uniform standards for the associated charging infrastructure been instituted. There are also challenges regarding the maintenance of electric aircraft. A comprehensive network of maintenance stations is needed, along with specially trained personnel. Setting this up will take time and money. But the good news here is that maintenance for electric aircraft is comparable to that for electric cars—it’s simple and economical.