95,000 € written off

Airport remains stuck with Benko’s landing fees

Benko's jet at Innsbruck Airport

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

Innsbruck Airport has to write off almost 100,000 euros. This explosive detail became known on Wednesday. Other issues in the environment are currently causing the loan for the runway general renovation to be nibbled away.

Subsidiaries of the City of Innsbruck, 26 in number, help to keep public life in the city running. A balance sheet is drawn up once a year, albeit with a long delay. On Wednesday, BM Georg Willi and Finance Director Martin Rupprechter presented the figures for the 2022 financial year under the title "Investment Report 2023".

Claim is written off
Nevertheless, there are a number of interesting facts and figures. For example, the fact that bankrupt juggler René Benko owes Flughafen-Betriebs-GmbH (TFG) 95,000 euros in landing fees for his private jet. But that's not all: this claim even has to be written off. This is the result of a reply to a question submitted to TFG by Manfred Roner, a member of the Green Party's substitute council. Furthermore, in a difficult market environment (keyword AUA and impending thinning out of routes), the company is nibbling away at a loan for the general runway renovation. There are currently 14 million euros outstanding.

As the owners of Innsbruck Airport, the city and state are keeping a close eye on fees, reported BM Willi (right) and Finance Director Rupprechter

(Bild: IKM/ D. Giesinger)

Airport site owned by the city
On the future of the regional airport, Willi said that it was subject to market decisions. "I have a big question mark over whether these are always wise." When asked whether he supported the airport, Willi replied vaguely that it was not the task of the public sector to operate an airline. However, he was pleased "that almost the entire site is now in municipal hands following the purchase of land in the west".

Turnover of 700 million euros
Innsbrucker Kommunalbetriebe generates by far the largest turnover of all 26 subsidiaries, followed by Neuer Heimat, ISD, IIG and IVB. In total, turnover amounted to around €700 million, €100 million more than in the previous year. Willi would welcome an IKB independent of Tiwag: "It would be nice if we could buy out Tiwag." However, this would cost 450 million euros and would therefore not be feasible.