Eco-Activists Must Pay Over €1 Million After Airport Blockade
Eco-activists have been ordered by a court to pay over €1 million to the Lufthansa Group after blockading a German airport and disrupting flight operations.
Airport blockade
Ten protesters from the radical climate change activist group Letzte Generation (Last Generation) faced a civil trial at the district court in Hamburg, Germany.
On 13 July 2023, the 10 activists cut through a fence at Hamburg Airport and illegally entered the airport premises.
Near a runway, four of them glued themselves to the apron, halting flight operations at Hamburg Airport for several hours.
As a result, 57 flights operated by Lufthansa and its subsidiaries, including Eurowings and Lufthansa CityLine, were cancelled.
Court sentence
On behalf of the Lufthansa Group airlines, Eurowings filed a civil lawsuit against the 10 activists – four women and six men aged between 19 and 63.
The German airline sought reimbursement of the costs incurred, including compensation owed to affected passengers under European air passenger rights, additional fuel expenses, and lost profits.
The Hamburg district court ruled in favour of Eurowings and calculated total damages of €403,137.68, which the 10 activists must pay to the German airline.
In its ruling, the judge stated that the activists had “deliberately and unlawfully” interfered with the legitimate business operations of Eurowings and the other Lufthansa Group airlines.
According to court records, the eco-activists must also cover all legal costs, which total just over €700,000.
This brings the total amount the 10 eco-activists must pay to more than €1.1 million, a figure that could rise further as they were also held liable for any future damages resulting from the airport blockade.
The Hamburg court also specified that the defendants could face up to two years in prison for contempt of court if they fail to pay the damages once the judgment becomes legally binding.
Blueprint
According to German local media, the Hamburg district court ruling could serve as a blueprint for airlines and airports seeking to take action against eco-activists.
Airlines such as Condor and TUIfly are reportedly also considering claims for damages incurred in similar incidents.
Injunction
During the civil court case, the plaintiffs’ request for an injunction against similar future actions was successfully granted, with potential fines set at up to €250,000.
Similar injunctions against environmental activists have also been successfully applied in other countries.
Previously in the UK, the High Court granted an injunction preventing anyone from entering, occupying, or remaining on London Heathrow Airport premises without consent as part of an environmental campaign.
Those who breach the injunction could face a substantial fine, imprisonment, or the seizure of their assets for contempt of court.
Conclusion
Ten environmental activists from the radical climate group Letzte Generation (Last Generation) were ordered by a civil court to pay over €1 million in damages after blockading Hamburg Airport and disrupting air traffic.
The Hamburg district court ruled in favour of Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings, which sought over €400,000 in damages from flight cancellations, as well as €700,000 in legal costs.
An injunction has also been imposed on the eco-activists, with hefty fines looming if they unlawfully enter airport premises again and disrupt flight operations.
