Court rules state's demand for airport subsidy repayment unlawful

The state of Rhineland-Palatinate unlawfully demanded the repayment of operational subsidies provided to Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, Germany's Federal Administrative Court has ruled. The court in Leipzig determined that the state's attempt to reclaim the funds was unlawful, citing that the initial granting of the subsidies for 2017 and 2018 was legal when the approval notices were issued.

Frankfurt-Hahn Airport GmbH had challenged the state's decision to reclaim the aid. The subsidies, totaling around 10.3 million euros, were initially approved by the EU Commission. However, the Court of Justice of the European Union invalidated this decision in 2021, prompting Rhineland-Palatinate to revoke the aid and demand repayment.

The airport company subsequently filed a lawsuit against the state's reclamation efforts. Shortly after, insolvency proceedings were initiated against the airport's assets. According to the Interior Ministry, the subsidies, including interest, were reclaimed in early December 2024 through a subsequent claim filed within the airport's ongoing insolvency proceedings.