A flight by Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) continues to cause a stir. In August 2022, she returned from Copenhagen to Berlin three hours ahead of schedule and, according to several media outlets, requested a separate flight from the Bundeswehr flight preparation.

The reason: On his trip to Morocco and Denmark, the last point of the program in Copenhagen was canceled at short notice.

The problem: The A-340 crew in Copenhagen was unable to make the flight three hours early due to legally required rest periods for pilots. Subsequently, a new A-340 crew had to travel on a second government plane from Cologne to Copenhagen (645 kilometers as the crow flies) in order to meet the earliest departure time requested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The debate now focuses on the following questions: Why couldn't Minister Baerbock and her delegation wait three hours for the pilots to get enough rest? And: Why couldn't Minister Baerbock and her delegation opt for rail connections or scheduled flights? Was the alleged empty flight reported in the media necessary?

This is the truth about the controversial Baerbock flight

FOCUS online asked the Baerbock Ministry and the Flight Availability Department of the Federal Ministry of Defense (BMVg) to clarify the matter.

The bottom line: Foreign Minister Baerbock did not send a second plane from Cologne to Copenhagen in order to leave earlier. Instead, a reserve plane already in service simply made a stopover in the Danish capital to unload the new crew there. A spokesperson explained to FOCUS online: “Due to a modified itinerary with adapted transportation requirements and prescribed rest periods for the deployed crew, a second crew was dispatched on August 26, 2022 to continue the journey, i.e. for the flight back to Germany.”

To ensure a timely deployment, this second crew was flown to Copenhagen on a plane that was already in use, the spokesperson continued. The route of a flight to Canada scheduled for that day was “slightly adjusted for this.” The travel delegation then flew back on the plane originally used for the trip. Consequently, there were no empty flights.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs responds to the accusations

FOCUS online also asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which in turn stated that it could not clarify the question of why Baerbock could not wait until the crew was again ready for action. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred to the responsibility of the Ministry of Defense.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains the background of the trip: “The visit to Morocco ended a very difficult phase in German-Moroccan relations. “That is why it was important for both sides to present bilateral relations in all their breadth and depth.”

This is why a visit to a vocational training project in Agadir was added to the program. “In addition, due to the cancellation of an appointment in Copenhagen, the program of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and her delegation for the combined inaugural visits to Morocco and Denmark ended significantly earlier. The willingness to fly ensured that the delegation could return to Berlin in time for the minister's next appointments,” the Foreign Office continued.

The Foreign Ministry also commented on the Baerbock flight: it caused a shit storm.

He continues: “Maximum flexibility is often necessary, especially in times of crisis. Due to the intense travel and appointment scheduling of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, changes and delays in programs can always occur.”

In principle, low-emission travel options, such as train connections or scheduled flights, are first examined before each trip and before using flight availability. “Due to tight schedules and often inadequate plane or train connections, this rarely works,” the ministry says.

The lack of answers to these questions had already caused a scandal for the minister in the past. The general secretary of the CSU, Martin Huber, speaks of “ecological double standards.” He told the “Bild” newspaper: “Increase taxes on airline tickets, preach climate protection and then maximize the willingness to fly for personal comfort. That is not possible.” Criticism comes from all sides, also because Baerbock emphasized when he took office that he wanted to travel in the most climate-friendly way possible.