One Step Left Before Berlin’s New Airport Opening

Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) has undergone all preparations for successful commissioning. All permits have been granted, all processes have been tested extensively and the airport is prepared for the opening  on 31st October.

BER was originally supposed to open in March 2011, the first of 10 planned starting dates that thus far have expired. Its initial budget was €2.83 billion ($3.1 billion), which has since skyrocketed to over €7 billion.

BER was originally supposed to open in March 2011, the first of 10 planned starting dates that thus far have expired. Its initial budget was €2.83 billion ($3.1 billion), which has since skyrocketed to over €7 billion.

Berlin airport opening planned after a 9-year delay will replace the city’s two small Cold War-era airports, Schoenefeld and Tegel, but BER must first undergo the commissioning procedures.

The airport community’s employees and process partners (airlines, federal police, customs, ground handling service providers, etc.) have been preparing for BER’s opening since January. The employees have helped run trial operations since April.

"Engelbert Lütke Daldrup, Chief Executive Officer for Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH: “We have thoroughly prepared ourselves for the commissioning. The main aim of our trial run has been achieved: from the completed building, we have produced a fully functional airport. The users and partners can get acquainted with their airport and become confident in handling the new systems. Despite corona, the motivation to take part in the trial run and training was very high. For this, I would like to thank all of our partners, the ORAT Team, and the volunteer extras sincerely. We can put BER into operation on 31st October with a clear conscience.”

Terminal 1 of BER will open on 31st October with a parallel landing from Lufthansa and easyJet. That same evening, further aircraft will arrive at Terminal 1, which will then start again on 1st November. On BER’s first full day of operation (01.11.20), around 6,000 passengers are expected at T1 and roughly 5,000 at T5, the former Schönefeld Airport. The second phase will take place from 3rd to 4th November. On 4th November, the southern runway will open. On this day, around 6,000 passengers are expected at T1 and almost 5,000 passengers at T5. The last move will take place from 7th to 8th November, when the last airlines will leave Tegel Airport. Then, on 8th November, roughly 16,000 passengers will be checked in at T1 and almost 8,000 at T5. The numbers are actually significantly lower than would normally be expected in autumn due to the corona pandemic. The terminal capacities are by no means exhausted, even if the social distancing rules apply.

The poor numbers of flight guests mean that the processes at BER don’t have to run at full force right away. Should problems arise on the first day, enough reserves are available in order to react to any disturbances quickly. In addition, a situation centre is to be set up for commissioning, in which the operative areas of the airport community as well as the airlines, ground handling services, federal and state police, security service providers, customs and German air traffic control are integrated. Here, the current situation can be evaluated and the usual airport control centres supported, if necessary.