In choosing Germany’s premier airport for the first trials of the A380, Airbus has shown faith in the expanding gateway's go-getting approach. Colin Ellson reports Eyes turned heavenwards in Frankfurt at the end of October as a large and unfamiliar shape passed low over the city. Reminiscent of the debut in the 1930s of giant German airships like the Hindenburg and Graf Zeppelin, the world's largest passenger aircraft was performing an honorary fly past on its world premiere outing before returning to base in Toulouse. For a gateway no stranger to innovation over an 80-year history, the arrival of the 555-passenger Airbus A380 super-jumbo to carry out its first ground-handling tests was another milestone. Said Dr Wilhelm Bender, executive board chairman of airport operator Fraport AG: ‘Airbus’ reliance on Frankfurt for the A380's first airport compatibility testing is confirmation of our intensive preparations over many years. We started preparing for this spectacular aircraft earlier and with stronger commitment than any other European airport.” Note the competitive tone. As one of Europe's major airports, and among the Top 10 in the world, Frankfurt will go head-to-head with the best, and has ambitious plans to stay at the forefront. With two terminals and three runways, it currently handles 129 scheduled airlines, flying 51.1 million passengers a year to 294 destinations in 111 countries, and is Lufthansa's home base and the European hub for the Star Alliance. As a pioneer of the intermodal transport concept,fusing together air, road and rail links since 1972, the airport is also a key stop on the trans-European high-speed train network. Under its unique AIRail service, train and flight schedules are tightly meshed to virtually guarantee a 45- minute transfer time for air passengers, who can check in baggage at a train station and claim it at the final destination. Maintaining its record as Europe's punctuality champion – during the 2005 summer period Frankfurt was the only airport improving on-time performance – while at the same meeting growing demand, is among the top priorities in the biggest expansion programme in the gateway’s history. Over the coming years, Fraport’s vision calls for the complete redevelopment of Terminal 1, expanding retail space in Terminals 1 and 2, and implementation of the mammoth Airport Expansion Programme (AEP). The foundation stone for the growth of Terminal 1, which will raise its capacity by around four million passengers a year when it opens in 2007, was laid in September. Both the arrivals and departures levels of Hall C will be extended,adding 30 check-in counters, four baggage carousels and 900m2 of retail space. Up to 300 million euros a year is to be spent on Terminals 1 and 2, small change compared to the AEP cashfest. This will cost €3.4 billion and include a fourth runway, operational by 2009 or 2010, to increase overall landing and take-off capacity by 50%. There is also to be a new Terminal 3, to be built on the site of the adjacent US Rhein-Main Air Base, which was due to revert to civilian use at the end of 2005. This new complex will provide for an additional 25 million passengers, increasing the airport's overall capacity to 80 million a year by 2015. Many will be flying on Lufthansa's fleet of 15 Airbus A380s, due to enter service from summer 2008 – for which go-ahead Frankfurt is ready,with three years to spare.
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