The Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) today published an accelerated procurement notice for “interim provision of passenger and baggage security-screening services” at Hannover Airport (HAJ). The contract, dated 7 October 2026, covers the deployment of certified aviation-security staff to operate checkpoints in accordance with §5 of Germany’s Aviation Security Act (LuftSiG). The tender follows the surprise insolvency of the previous private contractor and is designed to ensure continuity of screening while a long-term concession is re-tendered. Bidders have until 21 October 2026 to submit offers, with the interim contract expected to run from 1 December 2026 to 30 November 2027. For airlines and corporate flyers, the news raises the prospect of longer queues over the winter timetable as a new provider ramps up staffing levels. Mobility managers with time-critical departures from Hannover—an important gateway for the northern German automotive and life-science clusters—should advise travellers to arrive at least 30 minutes earlier than usual during the change-over period. The BMI emphasises that aviation-security standards will be maintained, since all personnel must hold EU screening licences and will be supervised by the federal police (Bundespolizei). Nevertheless, trade unions warn that accelerated recruitment could strain an already tight labour market for certified screeners, especially given upcoming Christmas-holiday peaks. Longer-term, the episode underlines the government’s push to bring more airport security tasks back under tighter federal oversight after a series of contractor failures at other regional airports. Companies with high travel volumes should monitor similar developments at secondary German hubs.
