Bitburg airport given last chance

A Luxembourg entrepreneur has been given extra time to submit his plans to build an airport serving budget airlines over the border in Germany.

Frank Lamparski was given an extension on the project entry fee for Bitburg airport until Easter, allowing him time to find the 30 million euros needed to fund the scheme.

Initially Mr Lamparski was given until December 31 to come up with the money for the proposed commercial airport at the site of a former air base.

On Monday, the local authority in Germany granted the entrepreneur a last chance.

"If the money is not there by Easter, the deal is over," said Bitburg Airport Ltd Chairman Michael Billen.

The initial proposal submitted by Mr Lamparski pledged to transform the site into an international cargo and passenger airport with an airplane hangar by 2022. According to his plan, the airport would create 2,000 jobs.