Spiegel: Burbock tour canceled due to plane failure cost Germany €100,000

Annalena Berbock, the German Foreign Minister, had to cancel her trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji due to technical problems with her government aircraft. According to the publication Spiegel, the liner made an emergency landing in Abu Dhabi and was unable to continue flying along the route. As a result, the minister returned to Germany on a regular flight.

The publication notes that the incident caused significant costs and caused ridicule against the minister and the German air force, which are responsible for flight readiness. At the request of the opposition left-wing Bundestag deputy, Sevim Dagdelen, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that this incident cost €104,331. This amount includes the cost of the return journey (flight to Hamburg first class with Emirates) for the German delegation and special guests. Also included are the costs of “a very small portion of the delegation” who decided to continue their journey to Australia to recover artifacts stolen by German missionaries from Australian aborigines, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine.

It is noted that only part of the costs are mentioned in the response of the ministry. According to the publication, during both takeoff attempts, the pilot failed to retract the flaps, and returning to the airport, he had to drop 80 tons of kerosene.

MP Dagdelen was also interested in the hydrocarbon footprint of this incident. The ministry replied that the total amount of carbon dioxide emissions was 265 tons.

Dagdelen criticized Burbock, saying that if she were to use scheduled flights, as she herself promised, it would not only be more economical for taxpayers, but also more climate friendly.