Flying to Euro 2024 – and making a seamless experience the goal

By Aron Modis, ground operation manager, AXIS Aviation

 

Like a Harry Kane penalty or a Kylian Mbappe stepover, travelling across Germany during the Euro 2024 football tournament this summer will only appear effortless with the right expertise.

With the pandemic driving new demand, the business aviation industry currently faces challenges when it comes to parking availability for private jets, particularly in the case of tourist hotspots, seasonal peaks and major events.

With Germany already the second largest business aviation market in Europe, the combination of a busy summer spike and a major international football tournament could prove a perfect storm.

It is, however, possible to enjoy moments of footballing magic across Germany with the right planning. Here’s how.

 

Explore alternative airports

Euro 2024 kicks off on 14 June, with matches taking place in 10 stadiums across Germany, including Berlin, Cologne, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Dortmund, Leipzig, Gelsenkirchen, Stuttgart and Dusseldorf. The quarter finals will be played in Stuttgart, Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Berlin, while the semi finals will take place in Munich and Dortmund, ahead of the final in Berlin.

It’s likely that Berlin will be busy throughout the tournament – with people travelling to the German capital for specific matches and basing themselves in the city for the duration of their stay.

Meanwhile, Dortmund, Dussledorf and Cologne are also likely to be busy, being close enough to each other that people can easily travel between them to follow their team.

With parking likely to be limited as a result, fans looking to watch matches in these cities could consider smaller alternative airports slightly further out. Flying to Paderborn, for example, could be a good option for watching matches in Dusseldorf.

 

Night time closures

While travelling to airports further away could be a smart move when it comes to securing parking and avoiding crowds, the journey back should also be considered given the strict night closure times at German airports.

No one wants to miss the dramatic finale of a game that runs to extra time and penalties, so it’s important to balance parking considerations with return travel time.

One solution could be to park jets overnight for evening games – airports like Berlin Brandenburg should have plenty of parking, but even here it might be worth exploring one of the city’s smaller airports.

Alternatively, Hannover and Nuremberg are two airports in Germany that are open 24/7. While matches aren’t taking place in these cities, Hannover is a three-hour drive from Berlin and could be an option should overnight parking spots be limited.

 

Importance of expert advice

Travellers flying into Germany to witness a true spectacle of football can maximise their enjoyment of the tournament by following the advice they’re offered by operators.

If fans find themselves advised to make use of an airport slightly further out of the city, for example, this will be based on detailed insight and understanding of the travel conditions.

Here at AXIS Aviation, we’re aware of and are planning for issues we might face around airport slots and capacity, while also monitoring news that could affect travel to the event. We also have strong relationships with handling companies and hangars throughout Germany.

Equally, being based in Austria and Switzerland means we can offer a range of tailor-made solutions when it comes to travelling to Germany during this peak period, while our operations team has extensive experience of the German market.

We also provide flexibility and round-the-clock availability, while our data-driven approach and international presence means we can offer commercial competitiveness.

Meanwhile, our diverse fleet, including Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, Gulfstream and Pilatus aircraft – including light, midsize and large jets – caters to diverse needs.

With football matches typically attracting big groups of fans, many of our customers heading to Euro 2024 will benefit from our large jets, such as the Gulfstream 650/6550, which can hold between 10-15 people. Others will opt for the cost-efficiency and access to smaller airports offered by our light jets.

Ultimately, we’re on hand to make sure you spend less time concerned with parking restrictions and more time debating whether Harry Kane or Kylian Mbappé are the most likely candidates for the golden boot.