Germany Confronts the Future of Short-Haul Flights
The increasingly popular Green party is seeking to stop flights to destinations that could be reached just as fast by train, but not everyone is on board.
Trains and flights on a departure information board at Frankfurt Airport in April. Deutsche Lufthansa AG and German state railway Deutsche Bahn AG are cooperating on express-train services that could replace short-haul flights amid heightening concern about aviation’s carbon footprint.
Photographer: Alex Kraus/BloombergIs Germany planning to ground short-haul flights? One might think so witnessing the intense debate on the subject occupying local media.
In May, Annalena Baerbock — the German Green party’s candidate for chancellor — said in an interview that “short-haul flights shouldn’t exist in the future,” advocating for higher taxes and the eventual abolition of such flights. While they’ve slipped in recent polls, the Greens are still poised for a strong showing in September’s national vote and could be positioned for a role in the next government, giving the position weight.