In view of the high volume of traffic at Frankfurt Airport, its operator – Fraport – makes every effort to limit the associated impacts on people and the environment. To this end, an audit of environmental compatibility was conducted prior to the airport expansion project as part of the planning approval process, which is governed by public law. The results are contained in the planning approval notice issued in 2007 by the Hesse Ministry of Economics, Transport and Regional Development.

The planning and implementation of the expansion followed a wide-ranging public debate concerning the need and acceptability of Frankfurt Airport’s future development. Criticism from residents, municipalities and other organizations in the surrounding area was taken seriously. In 2008, the State Government of Hesse, together with Fraport, Deutsche Lufthansa, the DFS and BARIG (Board of Airline Representatives in Germany), established the Airport and Region Forum. Since then, the forum has bundled the dialog on the development of Frankfurt Airport and cooperation in the region. Key priorities are the sharing of substantive information with the region’s population, monitoring the airport’s noise footprint as well as the development of noise abatement measures.

The non-profit Umwelthaus GmbH, which was set up by the state of Hesse, has operated the Environment and Neighborhood House (UNH) since 2009. It was founded with the goal of continuously improving the communication and cooperation between Frankfurt Airport, its users, and the local residents. Furthermore, the UNH is tasked with bringing together the various monitoring activities – aircraft noise, social and environmental – and processing these in an objective manner.