Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has recently been slowed down several times by glitches in the Bundeswehr’s flight readiness. When she returns from the UN week, she immediately takes a scheduled flight.
It was a busy two weeks for Annalena Baerbock. Only in the darkened special train at night to Kiev and back. After returning on Tuesday last week, only a quick stop in Berlin. With the government plane directly to Texas, later to Washington – this time without any problems with the Bundeswehr’s readiness to fly.
From the US capital, the Foreign Minister and her delegation then travel by train to the UN General Assembly in New York.
On Thursday evening, the Green politician set off back to Germany – by scheduled flight. The Foreign Minister has to do without a bed like in the large government planes.
The return journey by civilian aircraft probably has little or nothing to do with distrust of the Bundeswehr’s willingness to fly – perhaps more to do with the fact that the military crews of the long-haul aircraft are currently busy. For example, on Wednesday evening local time, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) flew back to Germany from his visit to the United Nations by Air Force Airbus.
Fourth scheduled flight as Foreign Minister
As Foreign Minister, Baerbock has now traveled by scheduled flight a total of four times on her around 90 trips abroad: Baerbock’s ticket was also on a private flight on a trip to Madrid, a previous visit to New York and, most recently, on the return flight from the Gulf Emirate of Dubai in mid-August Airline booked.
Most recently, she had to cancel a long-planned trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji in Abu Dhabi – due to a defect in the landing flaps of the old government Airbus A340. A replacement machine from the Bundeswehr could not be organized either, so we went back by line.
Both A340 aircraft were then retired from flight operations. This also sometimes causes bottlenecks when the Foreign Office requests an aircraft that is suitable for long-haul flights.
Baerbock is only in ninth place when it comes to readiness to fly
In any case, Baerbock often has to take a back seat when it comes to access to the flight-ready machines that are coveted by almost all cabinet colleagues. According to a cabinet decision of December 8, 2021, taking into account the constitutional bodies, the Federal Foreign Minister is only in ninth place when it comes to access to flight readiness.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has initial access to the Bundeswehr’s government machines. Then comes Bundestag President Bärbel Bas, followed by Federal Council President Peter Tschentscher and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (all SPD). Within the traffic light cabinet, Baerbock only comes in fifth place. According to the official order, the first deputy after the Chancellor is entitled to a flight standby machine, i.e. Vice Chancellor and Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens). This is followed by Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD). Only then does the Foreign Minister come.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
