Augsburg Airways has dropped plans to fly from Munich to St Tropez on behalf of Lufthansa, after the French transport ministry banned aircraft with a take-off weight heavier than 5.7t from the airport.
The airline had been hoping to fly a weekly de Havilland Dash 8-100 service to the airport this summer. The ban also hit Swiss regional Crossair, and negotiations with French authorities are continuing to try and lift the restriction. No agreement is possible in time for this year's European summer season, but Augsburg says that it hopes to be able to operate the route in 1998.
Augsburg managing director Olaf Dlugi says that the French authorities have asked for technical data about the Dash 8, but have given no official reason for the ban.
Augsburg says that it is baffled, pointing out that Crossair has operated a twice-weekly Saab 340 service into the airport since 1995 with no problems. "My opinion is that they just don't want us there," says Dlugi. Unofficially, the airlines understand that it is connected with concerns over the danger from gusts and runway width.
Crossair says that it is considering sidestepping the ban by leasing a Cessna Citation 2 business jet. The Swiss regional hopes to re-open the service in 1998.
Source: Flight International
