Leipzig (dpa/sn) – With various protests, activists want to take to the streets in the coming days against the planned expansion of Leipzig/Halle Airport. “There are an incredible number of emissions being emitted there,” said a spokeswoman for the Transform LEJ alliance on Wednesday. In addition, it is the only airport in Germany that does not have a ban on night flights. A vigil is therefore planned on Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in front of the Saxony State Directorate, which is responsible for approving the project.
“We want to reach many of the employees of the state directorate,” emphasized the spokeswoman. The alliance announced a demonstration for Saturday from 11 a.m., starting at the Schkeuditz S-Bahn station and moving to the planned expansion area. In between, small actions of “civil disobedience” are planned until Sunday.
According to the spokeswoman, 300 people were registered for the demonstration. An interim rally is to take place in front of the hub of the logistics company DHL. Activists had blocked the access to the logistics center there last year, and several trucks had accumulated in front of the access road as a result.
Leipzig/Halle Airport is to be significantly expanded. Mitteldeutsche Flughafen AG wants to invest 500 million euros in this. Among other things, the number of slots for cargo planes is to increase significantly. Leipzig/Halle is the second largest cargo airport in Germany after Frankfurt and number 4 in Europe. There is a night flight permit for cargo planes.
The planning approval process for the expansion began in 2020. There were numerous objections to the plans, for example from residents about night-time aircraft noise. When the state directorate will make a decision is open.