Germany will hire around 150 airport workers from Türkiye, a substantially lower number than initially expected, despite the ongoing chaos at airports amid a lack of staff.
In late June, the German government announced plans to fast-track work permits and visas for several thousand foreign airport workers, mainly from Türkiye, to help to ease the summer travel chaos that has frustrated holidaymakers.
However, only Munich and Nuremberg airports were able to hire workers from Türkiye, the head of the aviation ground services employers' association ABL, Thomas Richter, told Reuters. They will help with baggage handling under temporary contracts that will run through early November.
Industry associations had cited a shortage of around 2,000 workers at Germany's airports.
However, Türkiye's state aviation authority, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM), was opposed to the plan in fear of the German plan affecting the continued growth of Türkiye's aviation industry.
Another complication is that foreign workers also have to undergo the same security checks as domestic airport workers before being allowed to work, which makes the hiring process lengthy.
Richter said that most airports did not end up hiring foreign workers because the process of bringing them to Germany would take too long and the summer holidays are nearly over already.
Frankfurt airport operator Fraport found that most of the workers available did not have the qualifications it requires from airport staff, which include speaking German, Richter said.
