Social Matters

Frankfurt Airport is one of the largest local workplaces in Germany. Additional employment effects are also created in enterprises that are contracted by Fraport for the construction and modernization of airport infrastructures.

Engagement in the regions

Objective – The objective is to make a positive contribution to the economic and social development of the region.

Concepts, measures, and results – For Fraport, social responsibility has been a corporate principle for many years. Fraport AG’s funding concept for its community, cultural, and social engagement is “Active for the region”. It primarily serves to boost clubs and support volunteer work in the region around Frankfurt Airport. All activities are combined into an independent department within the “Corporate Communications” central unit and assigned to the Chairman of the Executive Board. The so-called “neighborhood framework” describes the geographical boundary for these support activities. The area is based on district and state borders taking into account the most important approach and takeoff routes. If this area changes, the neighborhood framework is also adapted. Donation priorities include the promotion of social and charitable institutions, particularly those that encompass measures relating to education, social equality, health, and the integration of marginalized groups in society. Employees can also apply for donations as patrons of their clubs. Sports sponsorship in the Rhine-Main region includes both recreational and professional sports. Well-known names include the FRAPORT SKYLINERS, which Fraport AG has been supporting for many years. In this regard, Fraport sponsors not only the German national division team but also gives donations to support the “Basketball macht Schule” (Basketball Goes to School) project.

In the areas of culture and education, Fraport is involved in longstanding partnerships with the Rheingau Music Festival and the Frankfurt cultural institutions Städel Museum, Schirn Kunsthalle, and Liebieghaus Sculpture Collection.

Fraport has financially supported youths’ and young adults’ integration into working life for many years with the ProRegion foundation. In addition to projects for the vocational and social integration of young people who have been forced to flee or migrate, other projects on professional orientation and competence assessment in general education schools continuously receive funding. Since the Foundation merely acts as a funding institution, it relies on close cooperation with proven institutions of youth vocational training. These include the Frankfurt-based Gesellschaft für Jugendbeschäftigung e.V., the Evangelischer Verein für Jugendsozialarbeit, the KUBI Gesellschaft für Kultur und Bildung gGmbH, the Berufsbildungswerk Südhessen in Karben, and the “Pilot” unit of the Evangelische Kirchenkreis Hanau.

Even at the sites belonging to the international Group companies, regions close to the airport also benefit from the economic performance, the donations made, and sponsorship activities undertaken by each Group company independently. In this regard, the focus is on the areas of child support, environmental protection and sports in particular. For example, Fraport Greece has contributed to installing play areas and redesigning and equipping a gymnasium belonging to a kindergarten and primary school. The Group company in Lima is also involved, and participates in “Pacto por la Cultura”, among other initiatives. “Pacto por la Cultura” is a United Nations initiative aimed at promoting culture, equal treatment, and cultural heritage in relation to tourism.

Performance indicator – As a large portion of the measures had to be suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, the “Engagement in the regions” subject area is currently being re-established.

Noise abatement

Objective – With noise reduction and noise abatement measures, Fraport seeks to create a balance between mobility services at the airport and economic success on the one hand and the quality of life around the airport on the other. Keeping aircraft noise pollution as low as possible despite the increase in air traffic is a permanent task. In Frankfurt, the aim is to keep the aircraft noise pollution in the region clearly below the figure forecasted in the 2007 planning decision.

Noise abatement measures are implemented at the Group airports according to the national and local requirements on noise protection. They follow the respective national laws. Corresponding monitoring systems are implemented.

Concepts, measures, and results – In order to minimize noise pollution, Fraport is constantly working towards pollution reduction measures that go beyond the legal requirements.

The aircraft noise pollution in the area around the airport is continuously monitored. Aircraft noise monitoring is also implemented at the Group airports. In addition, aircraft noise complaints are submitted and dealt with directly via the corporate website in Greece. At the Group airport in Lima, a committee has also been set up to combat aircraft noise, involving airlines as well as national and local government agencies. The Group airport in Lima is currently working on an aircraft noise reduction plan in collaboration with the noise committee.

Fraport AG collaborates with the region affected by aircraft noise, representatives of the state government, and other members of the aviation industry in two committees. The Aircraft Noise Commission (FLK) is a legally appointed body that advises the Hessian Ministry of Economics, Energy, Transport and Housing (HMWEVW), the German Air Traffic Control (Deutsche Flugsicherung, DFS), and the Federal Supervisory Office for Air Traffic Control (BAF) on noise abatement measures due to flights and air pollution resulting from aircraft exhaust gases. Fraport AG regularly reports the evaluations of the aircraft noise measurements and the results of simulation calculations on aircraft noise pollution to the supervisory authority and the FLK and publishes its findings on the website (www.fraport.com).

The Airport and Region Forum (FFR) is a body of the Hessian State Chancellery. The key task of the FFR is to foster dialog between the region and the aviation industry and to discuss the effects of air traffic, with a particular focus on the Rhine-Main region. The FFR includes the “Active Noise Abatement” expert group, which advises on measures to reduce aircraft noise.

The Fraport Noise Monitoring “FRA.NoM” shows currently measured noise levels at the stationary aircraft noise measurement points of Fraport AG and identifies recognized flight noise from the last three months. It also reports the approaches and takeoffs at Frankfurt Airport as well as their effect on the noise levels in real time. The information system for aircraft noise issues, FRA.Map, available online allows interested parties to find information for their location or place of residence on an interactive map. In addition, the system shows the protection zones in the noise protection area, and the area in which rooftop security measures can be claimed to prevent damage caused by wake turbulence.

As a general rule, a distinction is made between active and passive noise abatement.

Active noise abatement

Active noise abatement directly reduces noise at the source or by implementing noise-reducing operating concepts and takeoff or landing procedures. These measures include establishing a “Ground Based Augmentation System” (GBAS) navigation system, which enables a steeper angle of approach of 3.2 degrees for all runways in Frankfurt. With the so-called noise abatement model in both off-peak periods at night, individual takeoff and landing runways in Frankfurt are alternately not used, enabling the local nighttime six-hour quiet period to be increased by one hour.

Fraport AG charges noise-related charges for takeoffs and landings. According to the new schedule of charges, which has applied from January 1, 2022, the noise-related airport charges for loud aircraft have been further increased. The use of particularly modern, quieter aircraft will be rewarded more than before by adjustments to the Noise Rating Index (NRI). In addition, NRI discounts have been abolished for flights that take place at night between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., in order to further reduce aircraft movements during this period. Fraport is therefore providing further economic incentives for airlines to take off or land in Frankfurt using quieter aircraft and thus protect the core night period. On November 21, 2022, the HMWEVW approved the application for airport charges for Frankfurt Airport, valid from January 1, 2023. In the applications, Fraport once again considerably increased the noise surcharges for older aircraft, thereby providing even greater incentives to use more modern or quieter aircraft.

The voluntary alliance for a noise emission ceiling created in 2017 helps to ensure that the noise exposure at Frankfurt Airport during the day does not increase as much as would be permitted under the zoning decision, despite growth in aircraft movements. The traffic volume and traffic structure of the zoning approval for the expansion result in noise contours with continuous sound levels of 55 dB(A) and 60 dB(A). These contours have been reduced by 1.8 dB(A) across the board. The total areas within the reduced contours define the noise emission ceiling. A flight movement quota applies at night: no more than 133 aircraft movements may be scheduled for each average night of the calendar year between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. If the limit values are exceeded, Fraport AG and the airlines must examine how they can reduce the noise level, for example by using quieter aircraft. The calculations in the 2022 monitoring report for 2021 show that the levels did not exceed the noise emission ceiling in 2021. The values of the previous year are always checked.

As a noise abatement measure at the Group airport in Ljubljana, the local authority in charge of air traffic control introduced a ban on departures between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. in the direction of the towns of Šenčur and Kranj.

Passive noise abatement

Passive noise abatement includes measures that reduce noise from the point of origin (emission site, e.g., aircraft) to the place of impact (place of immission, e.g., apartment). Passive noise abatement measures are intended to reduce the noise level inside buildings by way of structural improvements, such as installing sound-insulating windows. Around Frankfurt Airport, Fraport AG had legal obligations to finance noise abatement measures for around 86,000 households. A noise protection area defined which households were entitled to reimbursement by Fraport for noise abatement measures. Invoices were able to be submitted for measures taken as part of the noise abatement program until October 12, 2022.

In the area of passive noise abatement, the Fraport Group held provisions in the amount of €1.8 million as at the balance sheet date of December 31, 2022 (see Group Notes, note 40, and Fraport AG’s Notes, note 29).

Performance indicator – Compliance with the specified noise ceiling (the area under a Leq 55 dB(A) day (6 a.m. – 10 p.m.) should constantly remain below 22,193 ha).