“Both airports are the lifeline for the Central German region,” said Finance Minister Christian Piwarz at the presentation of the study on Tuesday (January 20) in Dresden.
MFAG is currently undergoing a difficult restructuring and consolidation process with painful savings, including massive job and staff cuts. Despite a still very difficult economic environment, MFAG is successfully on a restructuring course and has the opportunity to successfully exit this restructuring process in 2026. Against this backdrop, the Minister of Finance announced that financial support to MFAG would be reduced to zero by 2030.
demands on the federal government
At the same time, he called on the federal government to reduce the location costs for German airports. “The air traffic tax and security fees must come down. Otherwise, German air traffic risks falling further in competition with European countries. The economy will ultimately have to pay the price if airlines avoid Germany and switch to neighboring European countries.”
Economic benefits of the airports
According to the study, both airports have major direct and indirect effects on the economy as a whole. Every euro of added value at one of the airports generates a further 1.50 euros of added value in the economy as a whole. On average, every direct employee leads to around two additional jobs. Around two thirds of the overall effect remains in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.
The study also confirms the great importance of Saxony’s airports for industry, science and tourism. Leipzig/Halle Airport is Germany’s second-largest air freight location and is also regarded as a basic prerequisite for the aviation industry developing at the site. The same applies to Dresden Airport. Dresden Airport is also very important for high-tech industries and science. “Without the two airports, the successful economic development of the Central German metropolitan region and the high-tech cluster in the Dresden region would be inconceivable,” said Finance Minister Christian Piwarz.
Agreement between the Free State of Saxony and the State of Saxony-Anhalt
The Finance Minister also announced that the financial support to MFAG would be reduced. “However, as long as the far-reaching restructuring process has not been completed, the Free State of Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt will partially reimburse MFAG for non-economic expenses such as security and fire departments,” said Christian Piwarz. A new agreement between the Free State of Saxony and the State of Saxony-Anhalt stipulates that compensation payments for MFAG will be reduced from a total of EUR 37 million in 2026 to EUR 28 million in 2027, EUR 21 million in 2028, EUR 13 million in 2029 and finally to zero from 2030. The Free State of Saxony will contribute 81.3 percent and the state of Saxony-Anhalt 18.7 percent of the cost reimbursement. The contribution from the state of Saxony-Anhalt will be used exclusively to support the performance of tasks at Leipzig/Halle Airport. It is expected that MFAG will be able to manage without state support from 2030 onwards.
Dresden Airport, on the other hand, is essential for the Free State of Saxony and the state capital of Dresden. It is home to the European center of microelectronics, an excellent science and university location, the aviation industry and an important cultural and tourism location. Dresden Airport provides an important basis for this success. Against this backdrop, Dresden Airport will receive structural compensation for non-economic costs amounting to nine million euros per year from 2027 and initially until 2030. This sum will be provided exclusively by the Saxon side. The agreement still has to be signed by the Minister Presidents of both states and is subject to budgetary approval as long as the two state budgets have not been passed by the state parliaments.
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Further links
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