Berlin Brandenburg Airport

Berlin Brandenburg Airport
source
Name	Berlin Brandenburg Airport
IATA	BER
ICAO	EDDB
Owner	Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH
City-served	Berlin and Brandenburg
Location	Schönefeld, Brandenburg
Opened	31 October 2020
Hub	easyJet, Eurowings, Ryanair
Metric-elev	48
Coordinates	52, 22, 00, N...
Website	https://www.berlin-airport.de

Berlin Brandenburg Airport. It is the primary international airport serving the Berlin and Brandenburg region of Germany, located in the municipality of Schönefeld. The facility, which replaced the city's former airports at Tegel and Schönefeld, opened in 2020 after significant delays and became a major hub for low-cost carriers in Central Europe. Operated by Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH, it is a critical piece of transport infrastructure for the Capital Region Berlin-Brandenburg.

History

The airport's origins are deeply intertwined with the post-reunification development of the Berlin region, following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Prior to its opening, air traffic for the city was divided between Tegel in the former West Berlin, Schönefeld in the former East Germany, and the smaller Tempelhof, which closed in 2008. The decision to consolidate air travel at a single, modern site was driven by the Bundestag and the Senate of Berlin to meet projected growth after German reunification. Key political figures, including former Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit, championed the project as essential for the economic future of the capital region.

Planning and construction

Initial planning for a new central airport began in the 1990s, with the Planfeststellungsbeschluss (official planning approval) granted in 2006. The master plan, designed by the architectural firm gmp Architekten, envisioned a major expansion of the existing Schönefeld site. Construction, managed by the state-owned Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH, commenced in 2006 with a planned opening in 2011. The project was plagued by severe problems, including flawed fire protection systems, complex baggage handling software from Siemens, and chronic mismanagement. Numerous postponements, parliamentary inquiries by the Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin, and escalating costs to over €7 billion made it a national symbol of planning failure, scrutinized by the Federal Court of Auditors.

Opening and operations

After nearly a decade of delays, the airport finally commenced operations on 31 October 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The opening coincided with the closure of Tegel, with all commercial flights transferred to the new site. Initial passenger numbers were severely depressed due to global travel restrictions, but traffic recovered strongly, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 2023. The airport is a base for several airlines, including easyJet, Eurowings, and Ryanair, and handles a mix of European and intercontinental traffic. Operations are supported by advanced systems for air traffic control, managed by DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung.

Infrastructure and facilities

The airport features a single main terminal, Terminal 1, with two parallel runways capable of handling the Airbus A380. The design includes the iconic roof of the older Schönefeld terminal, now known as Terminal 5, which is used primarily for low-cost carriers. Key facilities include a large shopping and dining plaza operated by AREAS, modern lounges for Lufthansa and other airlines, and direct access to the Berlin Brandenburg Airport station, a major rail hub served by the Deutsche Bahn network, Berlin S-Bahn, and regional trains. The site also houses extensive cargo facilities operated by companies like Lufthansa Cargo.

Airlines and destinations

The airport serves as a focus city for numerous carriers, connecting Berlin to major European hubs like London Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, and Amsterdam Schiphol. Key airline partners include the Lufthansa Group, with services operated by Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines, alongside a strong presence from the International Airlines Group through British Airways and Iberia. Other significant operators are Turkish Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Qatar Airways, providing global connectivity. Seasonal holiday flights are offered by carriers such as Condor and TUI fly Deutschland.

Accidents and incidents

There have been no major accidents since operations began. The area's aviation history includes incidents at the former Schönefeld site, such as the 1975 crash of an Interflug Ilyushin Il-62. Safety and security at the new airport are managed in accordance with regulations from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the German Luftfahrt-Bundesamt. The airport's emergency services, including its own fire department, are trained to respond to potential incidents in coordination with local authorities like the Bundespolizei and the German Red Cross.

Category:Airports in Germany Category:Buildings and structures in Brandenburg Category:Transport in Berlin