Under the patronage of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development, German Air Traffic Control (DFS), Munich and Frankfurt Airports and Lufthansa joined forces to launch the German Air Transport Initiative. Other Federal Ministries and Federal States are also actively involved in the Initiative, as are the German Airports Association (ADV) and the German Airlines Association (BDF).

The object of the Initiative is to create a common platform to represent German air traffic interests and develop effective measures to uphold them.

The Initiative aims to safeguard Germany’s international competitiveness as an air traffic base so as to enable it to expand and participate in long-term air traffic growth.  The success of that base depends essentially on quality, efficiency and costs as well as the regulatory and political conditions that allow airlines to operate on a profitable footing. 

It has brought together a cross section of groups involved in the air transport system, which are working jointly for the first time on a common platform for the purpose of defining and implementing recommendations on action to be taken in key areas such as infrastructure, competition, processes, sustainability, safety and security in the German air traffic industry.  For example with:

• a master plan for the development of air transport infrastructure as a basis for a national airport concept
• measures to increase efficiency and quality, e.g. in security, immigration and customs formalities
• voluntary renunciation of subsidies by the German air transport industry
• founding of the European Center for Aviation Development – ECAD GmbH