According to a representative for the Interior Ministry, Germany wants to immediately bring in foreign workers to help airports that are experiencing personnel shortages during the busy summer season.
The spokesperson said at a routine government news conference in Berlin on Monday that the temporary workers, who would be provided with housing and a standard wage, would have to pass the same security and reliability checks as other staff members like baggage handlers, which typically take about two weeks.
Travel demand is back in full swing following COVID-19 lockdowns, and airports and airlines are struggling to keep enough staff on hand to handle the crunch. As a result, travellers across Europe are experiencing particularly long lines this summer.
About one in five jobs in security, check-in, and aircraft handling are empty, according to the ADV airport organisation.
The head of the ABL association of aircraft ground handling employees anticipates that 1,000 to 2,000 workers will be admitted for three months, most likely beginning in August. Airports are expected to announce their precise needs in the upcoming days.
According to Thomas Richter in an interview with Reuters, ‘a time constraint of a maximum of six months till the end of the year would have been ideal.’ It certainly helps, but it doesn’t fix the issue.
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