Russian Nürburgring boss could buy bankrupt Frankfurt-Hahn airport
In the summer, a company from Frankfurt bought the bankrupt Hahn Airport. But because it is not being paid now, a Russian entrepreneur comes into play.
Hahn/Frankfurt – The drama about the insolvent Frankfurt-Hahn Airport in Lautzenhausen in Rhineland-Palatinate is entering a new round. After the chronic clammy airport during the corona pandemic 2021 had to file for bankruptcy and in Summer 2022 with the Frankfurt company Swift Conjoy GmbH a buyer found the future now seems uncertain again. Because the buyer doesn’t paylike dying German press agency reported.
If a company is sold in the course of insolvency proceedings, the highest bidder is awarded the contract, in the case of the airport Swift Conjoy GmbH Frankfurt. However, if the buyer cannot or does not want to pay the offered sum, the insolvency administrator can approach other interested parties who had offered less.
Nürburgring owners could take over Frankfurt-Hahn Airport
This is where the Nürburgring’s owning company, NR Holding, comes into play. The company, which belongs to the Russian pharmaceutical entrepreneur Viktor Charitonin, was interested in Hahn Airport immediately after the bankruptcy, but was defeated in the bidding process. After dpa-There are now new discussions between Charitonin and the insolvency administrator Jan Markus Plathner.
Plathner said that dpa, because of the delays with Swift Conjoy GmbH, he is examining “further measures and alternatives to quickly create clarity for Frankfurt-Hahn Airport”. He did not confirm direct talks with the Nürburgring boss Charitonin.
Interested in Frankfurt-Hahn Airport: Nürburgring itself once a bankrupt company
The race track in the north of Rhineland-Palatinate once suffered from a long history of failures itself. Planned as an infrastructure project for the Eifel, the Nürburgring itself went bankrupt and triggered a number of political scandals. However, after the takeover by Charitonin, the situation stabilized. The racetrack is thriving.
Unlike many other wealthy Russians, Charitonin is not on one of the EU’s sanctions lists. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a spokesman for the operating company of the Nürburgring said that the aim was to “bring people from all over the world together – regardless of their origin, skin color, existence or religion”. Russians and Ukrainians would also come to the Nürburgring.
Frankfurt-Hahn Airport has stabilized economically after insolvency
The Frankfurt-Hahn Airport had also stabilized economically under the regiment of the insolvency administrator. Plathner said that dpa: “Business operations have developed over the past few months. A whole bundle of renovation measures was implemented to make Hahn Airport attractive again for airlines and passengers.”
There are increasing revenues from parking fees and catering at the airport. The number of flight destinations is also expected to grow again. In the spring of 2023 there should be more connections than in the Corona summer of 2022, according to Plathner’s spokesman. For example, there should be connections to Faro in Portugal and to Kutaisi in Georgia.
Meanwhile, the investigations by the Koblenz public prosecutor’s office continue around the airport. Several people in charge of various companies working at the airport are accused of gang-like infidelity, subsidy fraud and delaying insolvency. (Jana Ballweber)