German airlines demand permission to shoot down drones near airports
Illustrative photo: German airline association demands permission to shoot down drones (GettyImages)
Spiegel reports that in Germany, airlines are demanding the right to shoot down drones over airports.
Ability to shoot down drones
Drones have repeatedly caused delays at airports across European Union countries, including in Germany. The Federal Association of German Airlines has called on politicians to take action.
"In a threatening situation, there must be the possibility to shoot down drones," said Peter Gerber, president of the Federal Association of German Airlines (BDF).
He said that it is urgently necessary to clarify who bears responsibility in a threatening situation.
Gerber also said that at civilian airports the federal police should have the authority to stop drones — and, if necessary, to shoot them down.
"For airlines, the drone problem is quickly becoming expensive. One hour of disruption always means millions in losses," he emphasized.
Asked about ticket price changes, Gerber replied that they certainly will not get cheaper.
Drone flights over Europe
Over the past month, flights of unidentified unmanned aerial vehicles have been recorded in the airspace of many European countries. This year Germany reported numerous sightings of drones over military bases, industrial sites, and other critical infrastructure.
In particular, on the night of September 26, suspicious drone flights were recorded over strategic facilities in the northern federal state of Schleswig-Holstein.
Against the backdrop of these incidents, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, "we suspect that Russia is behind most of these drone flights."
In Germany, the federal police will soon be allowed to shoot down and intercept drones after a series of suspicious incidents. The government is preparing legislation.
