air traffic
Airports can hire foreign helpers more easily
Long queues at Düsseldorf Airport. Photo: David Young/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Queues in front of check-in, delays, canceled flights: flying has become a tough test of patience. The state wants to quickly enable the industry to hire additional staff.
Due to major annoyances with waiting times for travelers at German airports, foreign aid workers should be able to come to the reinforcements in the summer if possible.
The federal government promised rapid regulations on Wednesday so that operators can temporarily hire staff more easily, especially from Turkey – but with specific requirements to prevent social or wage dumping. The industry welcomed the support and is now aiming for implementation within a few weeks. At the same time, politicians made it clear that it was basically up to companies to recruit staff.
It’s about a few thousand workers
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) said in Berlin: “We make it possible for companies to use auxiliary staff from abroad, especially from Turkey.” She emphasized that there should be no compromises when it comes to safety and reliability. A lack of staff in baggage handling, among other things, caused chaotic conditions at airports at the start of the main travel season.
Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) said that many citizens were looking forward to their vacation after two years of the pandemic. Now the problems led to disappointments, for example when the clearance took “infinitely long”. The government therefore wants to help because there are obviously not enough forces on the German market.
Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil (SPD) said that according to the industry, there are several thousand workers who are currently not needed at airports in Turkey. They would have to be hired by the companies themselves. For employment in Germany, the state should quickly and temporarily create conditions with entry and residence permits as well as work permits.
Heil emphasized that conditions should apply to rule out dumping. For example, it is not permitted to employ temporary staff. “The companies will have to hire the workers directly.” You also have to pay according to the tariff, and good accommodation and not “any huts” would also be specified. Whether this will work in the next few weeks is now the task of “many”.
Operation could begin in a few weeks
The general manager of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutscher Verkehrsflughäfen (ADV), Ralph Beisel, told the German Press Agency: “If all the cogs mesh as we were promised, the first seasonal workers could be ready for action in four weeks.” He thanked the federal government for clearing the way quickly and unbureaucratically. This is an important step so that service providers and airports can employ the forces in operational areas. The largest German airport in Frankfurt wants to hire “several hundred” foreign workers. According to previous estimates, the first could start working in eight weeks, said a spokesman.
In Turkey, around 2,000 people lost their jobs due to the bankruptcy of two airlines, said the chairman of the union for workers in the aviation sector (Hava Sen), Seckin Kocak, the dpa. Most are well educated, experienced and still looking for employment. He assumes that this group of people will be recruited. A job in Germany, even if only for a short time, is an attractive prospect for many. The airline Atlas Global filed for bankruptcy in 2020, and Onur Air’s flight license was revoked in Turkey just a few weeks ago.
The federal government made it clear that the relief should now primarily serve to defuse the crisis in the short term. It is a temporary measure, not a permanent solution, said Heil. The state helped airlines and airports in the Corona crisis with massive economic aid. “It would have been the task of the company to take sufficient precautions.” The minister called on the industry to create attractive working conditions with decent wages. His wish is to create a collective agreement “that we can declare to be generally binding”.
The consumer centers said that the federal government had looked at the chaos for far too long and is now finally making it a top priority. The mobility expert of the Federal Association (vzbv), Marion Jungbluth, said: “The current chaos shows how important good passenger rights are.” The road to compensation is often long. However, a few clicks should be enough for this and transfers should then come automatically. In addition, the prepayment practice should be abolished. The fact that flights usually have to be paid for in advance can mean a considerable financial risk for customers. “Instead, travel or flight costs may only be due shortly before departure.”
The Verdi trade union criticized the fact that no knowledge of German was required as a requirement for the foreign helpers. “The Federal Aviation Authority requires knowledge of the German language in order to be able to communicate in aviation activities,” said Verdi Vice-Chairwoman Christine Behle of the dpa. “This is important because, for example, improper loading of an airplane can lead to a crash.” Faeser had answered a question as to whether knowledge of German was a prerequisite with “no”.
In addition to the staff shortages, there are sometimes other operational problems for the company. Difficulties installing new air traffic control software affected large parts of air traffic over Germany on Wednesday morning. In the headquarters in Langen near Frankfurt, the possible volume of traffic had to be reduced by half for several hours, as a spokeswoman for the federal German air traffic control said. Normal operations were possible again from 9 a.m. Pure overflights were not affected.