Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, Lower Saxony, Files Lawsuit Over Botched Airbus Transport

Serengeti Park sues over botched Airbus transport and hidden permit costs

Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen has filed a lawsuit against a logistics company following the transport of a decommissioned Airbus, alleging that the firm provided a flawed feasibility study. A park spokesperson confirmed media reports that the study failed to mention the three protected landscape areas for which special permits were required.

The claim, submitted to the regional court, seeks €2.4 million in damages. "The four-year delay has resulted in significant additional costs," the spokesperson said, citing airport rental fees and expensive expert assessments. Park owner Fabrizio Sepe would not have purchased the former German military aircraft had he been aware of the challenges from the outset, she added.

The logistics company, through its legal representatives, rejected the claim as unfounded, according to a report in the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung. The firm argued that its study had focused solely on the technical feasibility of the transport.

After years of permit disputes, the 6.8-meter-tall Airbus finally arrived at the leisure park in late October following a three-night journey on a heavy-haul transporter through a protected landscape. The operation was carried out by a different transport company.

This summer, the former government and troop transporter—named Kurt Schumacher—is set to be converted into a restaurant with around 200 seats, including approximately 150 inside the aircraft. Serengeti Park Hodenhagen is home to some 1,500 free-roaming wild animals and offers safari tours, roller coasters, shows, and other attractions.