Frankfurt Airport announces closure of major terminal after pandemic lull

The news comes on the back of a difficult few years for the airport. During the Covid pandemic, when travel was severely restricted, passenger numbers dropped from an all-time high of 70 million in 2019 to just 18 million in 2020 and 24 million in 2021.

The rapid decline in footfall meant that the opening of Fraport's newly built terminal - Terminal 3 - was initially postponed until the middle of 2026. 

With the airport set to cater to an additional 19 million passengers per year through the new terminal, the airport's management announced that it would be closing Terminal 2 for refurbishment once Terminal 3 had opened.

"It makes no sense to operate three terminals at the same time demand and passenger numbers are rising," Fraport's chief financial officer Matthias Zieschang said during an announcement on quarterly revenues last week. 

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According to information obtained by DPA, the terminal is set to receive a complete overhaul of its current technology, including fire safety mechanisms, smoke extraction, air conditioning, building automation and technical control centres. In addition, facilities such as toilets and offices will be renovated. 

The terminal building will be completely closed off to passengers for at least two to three years while the work is completed, though the underground car park, Sky Line runway and baggage system will remain in operation.  

Terminal 2 has a capacity of around 15 million passengers per year and is home to numerous international airlines that fly from Frankfurt, including Air France, China Airlines, KLM, Emirates and American Airlines.

With the closure of the terminal in 2026, airlines currently based in the terminal will have to relocate to Terminal 3 in the south of the airport. 

The planned closure of the terminal fuelled speculation that it would be used solely as a reserve after the third terminal had opened. 

However, Fraport dismissed media reports that the closure would be permanent. The airport expects passenger numbers to recover to the record pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019, when more than 70 million travellers passed through its doors. 

With these numbers in mind, the airport plans to reintegrate the second terminal back into the network once the modernisations are complete. 

However, environmental organisations cast doubt on projections that passenger numbers would recover to pre-pandemic levels. 

Speaking to DPA on Wednesday, climate organisation BUND Hessen said there was no need to have three terminals in operation at Frankfurt Airport.

"The closure of Terminal 2 when Terminal 3 opened proves that the expansion capacity was completely overestimated at the expense of the Bannwald forest. In the wake of climate change, faith in growth is no longer appropriate for aviation," deputy director Thomas Norgall explained. "It is likely that Terminal 2 will never open again."

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