The centenary year of Stuttgart Airport's operating company culminates in a ceremony with around 700 guests from politics, aviation, business and sport in an aircraft hangar. From its beginnings in 1924 on the Cannstatter Wasen via the airfield in Böblingen to Stuttgart International Airport, STR has come a long way and developed into an important transport hub. "As a hub, Stuttgart Airport today stands for cosmopolitanism, internationality and cooperation across borders and continents. And for an exporting state like Baden-Württemberg, the airport is an important gateway to prosperity," says Minister President Winfried Kretschmann.

In the picture from left to right: Airport Managing Director Carsten Poralla, Minister President Winfried Kretschmann, Winfried Hermann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the airport company and Minister of Transport of the State of Baden-Württemberg, Ulrich Heppe, Spokesman of the Management Board.

Germany is in football fever - and the airport is joining the excitement: Several national teams were welcomed to Stuttgart on STR before their matches. Spain, Denmark and Belgium landed at Stuttgart Airport, while the German national team took up residence at the Baden-Württemberg state airport.

Skytanking, one of the leading fuelling service providers in the aviation industry, is putting the world's first fully electric tanker truck in the 40 m³ class into operation at Stuttgart Airport. For the first time, the ground handling of an aircraft at STR can be carried out exclusively with electric vehicles.

the fairport means diversity and tolerance. For the first time, the terminal is lit up in rainbow colours on the occasion of the Christopher Street Day culture weeks. Oder alternativ: To celebrate the Christopher Street Day culture weeks, the terminal is lit up in rainbow colours for the first time.

Project start for the construction of a Hydrogen Aviation Center at Stuttgart Airport together with H2FLY, the Stuttgart-based company specialising in the development of hydrogen fuel cell systems for aircraft. Under the management of H2FLY, a central location with research and development infrastructure for companies and scientific institutes is to be created. It will provide the possibility to research, develop and test innovative concepts in the field of emission-free, hydrogen-electric aviation.

Destination STRzero: Stuttgart Airport must invest around 2.4 billion euros by 2040 in order to achieve its ambitious climate targets. The airport is aiming to reach net zero in 2040 - 10 years earlier than originally planned and in accordance with the climate protection target of the state of Baden-Württemberg.

The U6 tram to the new station Flughafen/Messe starts on 11 December. The airport is now also connected to the centre of Stuttgart by tram.

The visitor centre SkyLand opens in Terminal 3 with a view of the airport apron and interactive play stations to illustrate all things related to flying and Stuttgart Airport

On World Cleanup Day, Stuttgart Airport is inviting people to clean up together around the airport. More than 100 helpers take part on September 18, 2021, and collect cigarette butts, packaging waste, lost masks and other rubbish while walking in the area.

In March 2021, the project SmartFleet is launched at Stuttgart Airport. Germany's first tests of an autonomous baggage tug under real conditions start at STR.

Cargo transports are in high demand all year round during the corona pandemic. As there are only a few passenger flights and therefore almost no opportunities for cargo on scheduled flights, passenger aircraft are sometimes used solely for cargo.

The world's first 4-seater hydrogen fuel cell aircraft Hy4 is ready for the next stage of development: the research team presents the latest generation of emission-free drive technology at Stuttgart Airport. Over the next 10 years, it is to be used in regional aircraft with up to 40 passengers.

Baden-Württemberg Climate Alliance: Flughafen Stuttgart GmbH enters into a partnership with the state for committed climate protection. STR is one of the first companies to join the alliance.

STR is the venue for musical events: the first "Live Summer 2020" festival takes place in car park P0, while the world's first 1:1 concerts at an airport are held in the empty Terminal 1.

The eastern part of the 3,345-metre-long runway receives a new surface from April to mid-June 2020. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, construction work on the partial renewal of the runway starts on 6 April, earlier than originally scheduled. Air traffic cannot take place during these preparatory works until 22 April. Construction phase I runs from then until 20 May. During this period, the shortened runway has a length of about 1,965 metres. In construction phase II, which lasts until 17 June, the runway measures 2,475 metres. On 18 June, the construction work is completed, and the runway is back to its original length.

In March, the corona crisis reaches Germany - Stuttgart Airport is also affected. Aircraft movements decline sharply. The focus shifts to night air mail, cargo, emergency and rescue flights in addition to the remaining scheduled traffic. Airlines park their planes on the apron of Stuttgart Airport, as a large part of their fleet is not needed. Restaurants and stores in the terminals close. Restrictions are not eased until June, and air traffic slowly picks up again. Nevertheless, even in the holiday month of August, passenger numbers and flight movements are only about one third of the previous year's figures.

Stuttgart Airport welcomed its 12 millionth passenger on 6 December 2019. She travelled to Riga with airBaltic. For the first time, more than 12.7 million passengers took off and landed at Baden-Württemberg's state airport in just one year. Although the demand for air travel to and from Stuttgart increased until the end of 2019, the airport also succeeded in reducing its direct emissions by 33% since 1990. On the way to carbon neutrality, one third is accomplished.

The research aircraft SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) visits Stuttgart. The flying observatory is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

For the first time, the Children's Festival at Stuttgart Airport lasts two days to mark its 25th anniversary. Over 50,000 visitors attended the festivities on 10-11 August.

Goal achieved: Since 2018, electric buses have been taking passengers to their aircraft with zero local emissions. Luggage is also transported 100% emission-free with the use of electric tow tractors.

For the first time, more than eleven million passengers took off and landed at Baden-Württemberg's state airport in just one year. Sabine Grieger from Öhningen set the record on the last day of November 2018. The airport management surprised her in the terminal. Dr. Arina Freitag and Walter Schoefer presented her with a Eurowings voucher and a large bouquet of flowers.

With its 2016 report, Flughafen Stuttgart GmbH (FSG) struck out in a new direction: instead of a business report and a sustainability report, only one report will now be published every year. This shows that, in FSG's view, business success and sustainability performance are inextricably linked.

After several years of construction work, the new office building, the SkyLoop, was handed over to the main tenant EY (Ernst & Young). Shortly thereafter, Flughafen Stuttgart GmbH’s head office  moved into the newly built SkyPort building and on 11^th April, the Stuttgart Airport Bus Terminal (SAB) was put into operation.

Stuttgart Airport was named the Manfred Rommel Airport. This was done to honour the work of the long-time Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Lord Mayor of Stuttgart: Manfred Rommel (born 1928 – died 2013).

In the winter of this year, the new combined heat and power plant started running.

In July 2011, work to demolish the old freight yard began. The same month saw the opening of the fairport STR environmental tour, where visitors receive in-depth information on environmental protection at the airport at various stops along the way. Current information on sustainability issues can be found on the airport website.

fairport STR

The airport issued its first environmental report in 2010.

In June 2010, around 12,000 spectators watched a Lufthansa Airbus A380 land in Stuttgart for the very first time.

The new tank farm in the eastern part of the apron was put into operation in 2009. The three tanks, which are over 13 metres high, hold a total of 4,500 m³ of fuel – 2.5 times more than the previous depot in the west.

The solar energy plant on the roof of the Bosch multi-storey car park has been producing around 1.2 million kW hours of electricity every year since 2009.

The trade fair centre, the Bosch multi-storey car park and the Mövenpick Hotel Stuttgart Airport were all opened in 2007.

The new Terminal 3 was opened in 2004. Characteristic here are the 'steel trees' that support the roof of the hall – just like in Terminal 1.

The Lufthansa hall that was converted into Terminal 4 was inaugurated in 2000.

In 1996, the new runway, which was extended to 3,345 metres, was put into operation – making Stuttgart Airport able to handle larger and heavier aircraft.

From left to right: Hermann Schaufler (Minister of Transport and the Environment Baden-Württemberg), Dieter Kaden (CEO of Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH [German Air Navigation Services]), Georg Fongern (Speaker of Vereinigung Cockpit), Prof. Klaus Wedekind (Managing Director of the Airport) and Manfred Rommel (Mayor of Stuttgart) blowing out the Red Lantern at the opening ceremony.

On the way to Norway, the Olympic Flame made a brief stop at the airport in 1994.

In 1991, the new Terminal 1 was put into operation after a five-year construction period. The following year, the architectural office that designed the passenger lounge received the German Steel Construction Award for it.

In 1987, Pope John Paul II stopped off at Stuttgart Airport for 10 minutes.

Delta started flying from Stuttgart. Using a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, the airline started flying to Atlanta via Amsterdam from 1986 onwards.

Stuttgart Airport was the first airport in the Federal Republic of Germany to introduce noise-related take-off and landing charges in the 1970s, incentivising airlines to use machines that were as quiet as possible. 1972 saw the first landing of a Turkish Airlines DC 10-10 in Stuttgart.

In 1970, a Lufthansa Boeing 747, also known as a Jumbo Jet, landed at the airport for the first time ever.

Since 1969, the airport has regularly measured aircraft noise in the area; a noise protection officer from the Regional Council took up his duties and restrictions for night-time flying were introduced.

After nearly two years of building work, the runway, which was extended to 2,250 metres, was ready for use. A Boeing 707 belonging to Lufthansa landed on it for the first time in 1961.

In 1958, the Air France Caravelle was the first jet engine to land in Stuttgart.

The company running the airport was renamed 'Flughafen Stuttgart GmbH' in 1957.

Lufthansa started its flight operations from Stuttgart in 1955.

In 1954, the occupying forces released the northern part of the airport with the terminal and runway for civilian use.

In 1949, Flughafen Württemberg AG became Flughafen Württemberg GmbH. Its shareholders were the city of Stuttgart and the federal state.

Civil air traffic commenced in 1948 with a Pan American World Airways DC-3.

After the war, first French and then American troops occupied the airport.

The camp is shut down due to epidemic typhus. The prisoners are transferred to other camps. A total of 600 prisoners were detained in the subcamp in Echterdingen for over 3 months, of whom 119 died.

A subcamp for the concentration camp Natzweiler-Struthof is set up in a hangar on the airport grounds. The prisoners are put to work on the site and in the surrounding area. On site, this includes repairing and cleaning the runway after low-flying aircraft attacks as well as building camouflage shelters for airplanes. The working conditions for the forced labourers are inhumane – there is a lack of food, medicine and heating.

From 1942 on multiple bombings destroy parts of the airport. After a major attack in December 1944, the runway is no longer usable.

From 1941 on foreign and forced labourers arrive on the airport grounds, where they work during World War II.

After completion, the outbreak of World War II prevents its official opening. The facilities are turned into a military airfield.

The foundation stone for Stuttgart Airport is laid on the Filder Plain. German forced labourers are also involved in the construction of the airport. The first aircraft, a Messerschmitt M 108 “Typhoon” lands while construction work is still going on.

Luwag became Flughafen Württemberg AG in 1936.

The increase in air traffic in general and at the Böblingen site in the 1930s led to plans to move the airport closer to Stuttgart, the state capital.

In 1925, a scheduled airliner, a Dornier Merkur, landed at the new Stuttgart-Böblingen Airport for the very first time. The picture shows Karl Feucht, mechanic and on-board attendant, at the Dornier works.

With the aim of building a new airport in Böblingen, Luftverkehr Württemberg AG, or 'Luwag' for short, was founded on 15 November 1924. It was the origin of today's airport operator at the current location: Stuttgart Airport.