New German airport laws promise jail time for tarmac trespassers
12:11 PM EDT, July 22, 2024
Our western neighbors have decided to improve airport security. A draft amendment to the Aviation Security Act has just been approved, imposing severe penalties for unauthorized entry into tarmac areas or bringing prohibited items.
Germany is introducing a series of changes to airport regulations, with the most significant being related to unauthorized entry onto airport tarmacs.
2 years in prison for trespassing on the airport tarmac
In efforts to ensure greater security at airports, unauthorized persons entering the operational zone may now face imprisonment of up to two years.
Previously, the penalty for unauthorized entry onto the tarmac was a fine. However, as this measure proved ineffective, the authorities decided to increase the consequences, reports the portal schengen.news.
Unauthorized persons entering the airport tarmac cause disruptions and pose a threat to many bystanders, commented Germany's Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser. "Such incidents are occurring more frequently, indicating that they need to be punished more severely. Hence, we decided to take this step," she added.
Transport Minister Dr. Volker Wissing emphasized that such cases would be met with the full extent of the law in the future. "Anyone who enters the airport tarmac and blocks airplanes endangers human life. This is not a trivial matter," he stated. "In the future, this will be punished with full rigor," he said.
Missed the plane to London, so he trespassed onto the tarmac
Such incidents are becoming more frequent across Europe. In January, we reported on a passenger flying from Katowice to Great Britain who missed his check-in and was not allowed to board by airport staff. He did not give up and decided to get on board another way.
A determined 42-year-old man from Siemianowice decided to get to the plane through a gate open for another flight. The man bypassed the passenger check-in and trespassed onto the airport tarmac.
He was apprehended by airport staff and handed over to Border Guard officers. For failing to comply with airport regulations, the unruly traveler was fined 120 USD.
