New route announcement from Kassel-Calden: High hopes, open questions

New route announcement from Kassel-Calden: High hopes, open questions

Announcements of new flight connections quickly raise expectations on Mallorca: more guests, full hotels, taxi drivers on the Passeig Mallorca having a bit more work. Now another such report is on the table: Fischer Air, a company registered in Slovakia with two Boeing 737s in its fleet, has announced flights from Kassel-Calden to Mallorca for next spring; Gran Canaria is set to start in March, Mallorca in May. At first glance this sounds like a small success story for an underused German regional airport. At second glance important questions remain open.

Main question

Can a newly founded airline with two aircraft and apparently without a valid Air Operator Certificate (AOC) operate sustainable, reliable connections between a low-traffic regional airport and Mallorca — or are these mainly PR promises?

Critical analysis

What we know for sure: Kassel-Calden is an airport with large excess capacity. It was built for up to 700,000 passengers a year, but in 2024 it was used by just under 83,000 travellers. Since its opening in 2013 around €280 million have flowed into investments, and the state of Hesse is the largest shareholder. According to the operator, regular operations consume roughly €14,000 per day; the airport continues to record losses in the millions. Against this background every new route announcement sounds like a beacon of hope — especially for local politics.

On the other hand is the fact that the airline apparently does not yet have the required Air Operator Certificate (AOC) to operate scheduled services with its own aircraft. Such a permit is not a formality: it examines flight safety, maintenance concepts, crew standards and financial solidity. Without an AOC the airline would have to rely on wet-leases or partnerships to actually operate flights — but that fundamentally changes cost structures and liability issues.

There is also the commercial question: two jets for seasonal or even year-round services are a fragile foundation. Delays, technical failures and a lack of spare capacity can easily lead to the complete collapse of entire routes. For an airport that already ties up substantial public funds, the risk is tangible.

What is missing from the public debate

The debate usually revolves around buzzwords: “Airline is coming”, “flights to Mallorca”. Rarely are the conditions publicly scrutinised: Who pays any take-off or landing bonuses? Are there subsidies or marketing aids? Has a cost‑benefit analysis been produced that includes transfer traffic, bus and rail connections to the airport and ecological consequences? And: what role do wet-lease agreements play if the AOC is pending? Transparency is missing in many places — and that is a problem when public infrastructure is at stake.

Everyday scene from Mallorca

When I walk along the Passeig Mallorca in the morning, I hear the seagulls over Portixol, I hear the distant horn of a ferry. Taxi drivers in front of Palma airport stand and argue whether new direct flights will bring more business or just more chaos in the arrival halls. Hoteliers in Cala Major wave it off cautiously: an additional scheduled flight from Germany is welcome — but reliable planning is everything. For them the media announcements do not count; what matters is whether the aircraft actually arrive regularly and deliver holidaymakers at the usual season.

Concrete solutions

The situation requires pragmatic rules instead of quick fixes. Suggestions:

1) Obligation to disclose: Before new routes are publicly celebrated, operators should disclose whether an AOC is in place or which concrete alternatives (wet-lease, codeshare) are planned.

2) Proof of economic viability: For airports with significant public ownership, an independent study on the economic viability of new routes would be sensible — especially if financial incentives are being discussed.

3) Time-limited support frameworks: Instead of blanket subsidies, time-limited start-up aids could be tied to seat load factors and proof of actual flight operations.

4) Focus on resilience: Smaller follow-up models (regular partnerships with established carriers, use of wet-leases with clear liability structures) can prevent route failures.

5) Local involvement and information obligations: Municipalities and local residents should be informed early; public access to contracts protects against unpleasant surprises.

Pointed conclusion

The prospect of new connections to Mallorca promises short-term revenue for hotels and taxi companies. But announcements without a secured operating permit and without clear financing are more hope than plan. Those who operate public infrastructure with high costs must insist on reliability — not PR effects. Authorities, airport operators and potential new airlines should therefore lay their cards on the table in advance: first proper planning, then promotion. For Mallorca and its hosts, that is the only route that is truly sustainable.