Germany - New Berlin Airport not opening in June - further delayed to 2014

German media today reports about the delay of the opening of Berlin Brandenburg Airport - due to problems with some fire security systems:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/08/germany-airport-berlin-idUSL5E8G87GV20120508 (English language)

http://www.spiegel.de/reise/aktuell/flughafen-berlin-brandenburg-ber-eroeffnung-im-juni-verschoben-a-831989.html (German language, more details)

The opening was originally planned for November 2011, then postponed to June 3, 2012 - and now delayed for another 2 to 3 months (hopefully even longer...).

That means some more months for the worlds best airport, which is Berlin Tegel (TXL), where you only need 15 minutes by cab from the city center, and where you only have 15 meters from the taxi drop to your individual check in, and than another 15 meters to your individual gate. The longer travellers can use this really user-friendly, fantastic architectural layout, the better!

Oh goodness, I thought I had my last flight last month! Time to update GDS'. This is going to be a headache for carriers, I can imagine some demanding compensation.

Great news :)

I may then be able to get one more flight into my beloved TXL before its doors finally close... I wonder what the fall out of not having it open in time will be? especially with the new routes that were proposed to start from BER ?

Oh my.... Not the best news.

Oh my.... Not the best news.

Yes, for the airlines and for the financing government it is bad news.

But for the passengers it is very, very good news indeed: using the brillant, user-friendly TXL-layout for a longer time; taxi journeys 20 euro to TXL instead of 45 euro to BER; travel time from Berlin city to TXL 15 min instead of 45 min to BER etc. pp.!

What a mess for Lufthansa!! Can Tegel cope with all the extra flights & destinations planned by Lufthansa, or will many have to be cancelled?

more on this ... http://www.n24.de/news/newsitem_7906945.html

says could be as late as September until it is sorted out !

What a mess for Lufthansa!! Can Tegel cope with all the extra flights & destinations planned by Lufthansa, or will many have to be cancelled?

Yup that was my first thought as well!
Guess it will in any case mean rescheduling, if not cancellations.

Interesting also what this means for all the pax booked on the A380 hop to FRA

Interesting also what this means for all the pax booked on the A380 hop to FRA

well the just get to land at TXL instead :D

With all the promo fares Lufthansa has had.....what a mess this is going to be.

What a mess for Lufthansa!! Can Tegel cope with all the extra flights & destinations planned by Lufthansa, or will many have to be cancelled?

Maybe they use THF instead. :)

N24 has a live stream of the press conference ...

http://www.n24.de/mediathek/n24-event-livestream/stream.html

when it goes live that is ...

Platzek looks piiiiisssed....

Opening planned to be after Berlin/Brandenburg school vacations, probably second half of August. Open house will take place as planned.

looks like the stream is only available in Germany .. :/ someone post the important facts please ... thank you :)

Wowi and Platzek keep repeating all planned flights will be operated from the old TXL/SXF airports.

Bild asked about the ILA, it seems they want to get the airport back on track by end August to avoid any disruption of the ILA.

It seems the equipment to remove the smoke from the Terminal building is in place but the process control is not properly installed.

Has anybody got a clue what this means to bookings made for BER?

Has anybody got a clue what this means to bookings made for BER?

Too soon to tell however it seems that they will revert to the prior airports.

One more thing:

When they did the testing with volunteers, they saw that the security check area was way to small - so they have to build provisorial quonsets to make more operational space for everyday business of the airport!

How could one be so stupid, building a new airport already UNDER capacity from day one...

According to http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/08/uk-germany-airport-berlin-idUSLNE84701620120508

The opening of Berlin's new airport, scheduled for June 3, will be delayed due to problems with fire security, German media reported on Tuesday, citing local government sources.

The reports did not give a new opening date for Berlin-Brandenburg airport, which aims initially to attract up to 27 million passengers annually.

The operator of the new airport did not immediately confirm the reports but said it would hold a news conference at 1300 local time (1100 GMT). National carrier Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) also could not immediately confirm the reports.

Lufthansa and Air Berlin (AB1.DE) plan to expand services and routes at the new airport, which is built on the existing Schoenefeld site in Germany's capital.

Schoenefeld and Tegel are to shut shortly. Together they handled 24 million passengers annually, fewer than half the number at Germany's main airport in Frankfurt.

I guess this means no A380 departure on the 3rd June from Berlin!

Opening planned to be after Berlin/Brandenburg school vacations, probably second half of August. Open house will take place as planned.

Har, har - good joke!!!

They will never ever make it before the airlines winter schedule, starting on Oct 28... For the passengers convienience, any month later will be better!

Some more information here;

http://www.thelocal.de/national/20120508-42411.html

Looks like LH will try to operate most of the new routes from TXL with the remaining from SXF.

http://www.morgenpost.de/berlin-aktuell/article106272015/Berlins-neuer-Flughafen-oeffnet-erst-nach-den-Sommerferien.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/08/uk-germany-airport-berlin-idUSLNE84701620120508

A reporter on German television ZDF just said it is rumored this has nothing to do with the fire security system but in fact it were the airlines that pushed for a delay and this is just an excuse.

Strange rumor/thesis... why would the airlines push for a delay? to prevent a new LHR T5 chaos?
Were maybe indeed the missing check-in and security capacity the main reasons and airlines and airport authority were afraid of an opening disaster?

You would expect LH to be mad: but the Spiegel quoted an unnamed LH senior manager "better wait a little longer and do it properly". Seems LH is rather pleased with this...

Sounds like there is something to this story...

This is going to sound absolutely horrible, but I never thought someone else's misfortune could cause me so much joy :rolleyes:.

Also, keep your stinkin' hands off my beloved TXL :D.

In a press release, The Franz said, that they will fly each and every flight planned in the new schedule. They are actually negotiating with TXL to start all flights from there.

Which would be very good indeed! (Best thing in my eyes would be if Lufthansa/Star Alliance stays at TXL forever and only Air Berlin, Air France etc. starts from East Germany whenever the smallish new BER is finished...)

Here for german readers:

"Lufthansa will neuen Flugplan ab Berlin ohne Abstriche fliegen

Die Lufthansa will ihren zum Sommer deutlich ausgeweiteten Flugplan ab Berlin auch ohne den neuen Hauptstadtflughafen in Schönefeld erfüllen. „Die geplanten zusätzlichen Flüge sollen in jedem Falle starten“, erklärte ein Sprecher am Dienstag in Köln. Aktuell sei man in Gesprächen, um sich die zusätzlichen Start- und Landerechte in Tegel zu sichern.

Lufthansa-Chef Christoph Franz erklärte, dass es zunächst darum gehe, die Ansprüche der vielen tausend Kunden zu erfüllen, die bereits nach dem neuen Flugplan gebucht hätten. „Wir sind nicht Verursacher der Probleme, sondern Leidtragender.“

Lufthansa berichtete von Testläufen an dem neuen Flughafen in den vergangenen Wochen, die zahlreiche Probleme aufgezeigt hätten. Es bestehe noch an vielen Stellen Handlungsbedarf, erklärte das Unternehmen. Es sei für Lufthansa wichtig, dass an dem neuen Flughafen ein reibungsloser Flugverkehr gewährleistet wird.

„Ein Chaos wie London-Heathrow darf sich in Berlin nicht wiederholen“, sagte ein hochrangiger Lufthansa-Mitarbeiter. In London war es im Jahr 2008 nach Eröffnung des fünften Terminals zu etlichen Flugausfällen und Gepäckchaos gekommen.

Das Unternehmen bedauerte die Verschiebung. Mit dem neuen Eröffnungsdatum erwarte man nun eine verlässliche Planungsgrundlage, hieß es. Zu möglichen Schäden und Regressansprüchen äußerte sich das Unternehmen zunächst nicht."

Lufthansa berichtete von Testläufen an dem neuen Flughafen in den vergangenen Wochen, die zahlreiche Probleme aufgezeigt hätten. Es bestehe noch an vielen Stellen Handlungsbedarf, erklärte das Unternehmen. Es sei für Lufthansa wichtig, dass an dem neuen Flughafen ein reibungsloser Flugverkehr gewährleistet wird.

„Ein Chaos wie London-Heathrow darf sich in Berlin nicht wiederholen“, sagte ein hochrangiger Lufthansa-Mitarbeiter. In London war es im Jahr 2008 nach Eröffnung des fünften Terminals zu etlichen Flugausfällen und Gepäckchaos gekommen.


This seems to support the ZDF thesis: actually airlines pushed for a delay and this story with the fire protection is just an excuse.

This is good fun so far :)

Best thing in my eyes would be if Lufthansa/Star Alliance stays at TXL forever and only Air Berlin, Air France etc. starts from East Germany whenever the smallish new BER is finished...
"

I'd do unspeakable things for this scenario to become reality...

LH seems to be struggling to find new hires for the 4U FA onboard LH aircraft scheme they wanted to start this year.

LH seems to be struggling to find new hires for the 4U FA onboard LH aircraft scheme they wanted to start this year.

Strange???

LH seems to be struggling to find new hires for the 4U FA onboard LH aircraft scheme they wanted to start this year.

Would questions this too - just recently saw an interview with the LH Berlin executive who said they did find all necessary staff and had way more applications then needed.

only Air Berlin, Air France etc. starts from East Germany whenever the smallish new BER is finished...)



Well, this would be wishful thinking IMHO ;) and I certainly hope that AF remains at TXL as long as possible!

This really makes me want to redeem some miles and buy some bargain fares that were being offered for the opening, considering I would get to fly from Tegel....oh goody ;)

But not for AF ground experience! No toilets in the lounge, had to use the ones in the gate someone has written 'I hate Air France' on the door in German. Certainly flying anyone but *A at TXL is disappointing.

an interview with the LH Berlin executive

Good thing that all executives are known for their frankness and truth-telling :D.

Good thing that all executives are known for their frankness and truth-telling :D.

Fair point - yet if you had trouble filling jobs: you would rather expect him to encourage to send more applications?

Maybe its the quality of applicants that's the problem.

This seems to support the ZDF thesis: actually airlines pushed for a delay and this story with the fire protection is just an excuse.
Absolutely!

This is good fun so far :)
Yeah!

Maybe its the quality of applicants that's the problem.

Given the general distinct challenge of unemployment for younger people in the majority of the Eurozone it would really surprise me. There is a significant youth population in Italy who have studied German in univeristy and are proficient in the language and are looking for jobs.

When Emirates ran their last job fair at MXP they were completely overwhelmed by the response (more than 1000 people), and the local grocery store chain advertised they needed students to work Sundays they received 8000 applications in 1 week.

someone has written 'I hate Air France' [...] in German.

:D

If it gets me to Kudamm faster than from BER, I am fine with it.

There is a significant youth population in Italy who have studied German in univeristy and are proficient in the language and are looking for jobs.

I suppose LH should run some job fairs in IT/GR/ES :)

http://www.be-lufthansa.com/en/home/#/en/jobs/flight-attendant-mf/current-personnel-needs/

I suppose LH should run some job fairs in IT/GR/ES :)

https://career.be-lufthansa.com/index.php?search_parameter_page_current=1&search_parameter_item_per_page=&search_parameter_order_criterion=&search_parameter_order_direction=&ac=search_result&search_criterion_region[]=&search_criterion_entry_level[]=&search_criterion_activity_level[]=&search_criterion_keyword=&searchButton=go

:) Thanks for sharing Oliver.

Yes, job fares could be run in Spain, Italy, France, Portugal.... actually just about any Eurozone country except Germany ;)

this is a great day. three more months in beautiful tegel at least. i'm sad for our mayor who must be peeved bigtime! but my traveling is noch wunderbar

looks like the stream is only available in Germany .. :/ someone post the important facts please ... thank you :)

this is a great day. three more months in beautiful tegel at least. i'm sad for our mayor who must be peeved bigtime! but my traveling is noch wunderbar

Not just the mayor but many German politicians are probably not having the happiest of afternoons.

I'm still glad that TXL will stay open. I have flights scheduled for June and was not looking forward to going out to the new airport even if it's going to be shiny and new. I would imagine that the first few months will be a mess with no one really quite sure how everything works. TXL with the closeness to the city and easy of use is a great airport.

Mixed blessing, keeping wonderful TXL a while longer, but fingers crossed this doesn't screw up my several hops in&out of Berlin in early June!

...That is very good news for passengers: it means some more months of easy travelling from the worlds best airport, ...



Really? I find TXL one of Europe’s most crappy airports. Cramped, rundown, long way to walk outside if you e.g. fly AB or SK and lot of smokers besieges the entry doors. And absolutely no high class public transport and a vending machine for bus tickets that doesn’t accept foreign credit cards.

Come on. Berlin can do must better. Looking forward to BER.

That is very good news for passengers: it means some more months of easy travelling from the worlds best airport, which is Berlin Tegel (TXL), where you only need 15 minutes by cab from the city center, and where you only have 15 meters from the taxi drop to your individual check in, and than another 15 meters to your individual gate. The longer travellers can use this really user-friendly, fantastic architectural layout, the better!

^ :D

Really? I find TXL one of Europe’s most crappy airports. Cramped, rundown, long way to walk outside if you e.g. fly AB or SK and lot of smokers besieges the entry doors. And absolutely no high class public transport and a vending machine for bus tickets that doesn’t accept foreign credit cards.

Come on. Berlin can do must better. Looking forward to BER.

Totally agree. TXL is pretty crappy!

The only problem is the cancellation of Lufhansas A380 flight from/to FRA, which I can easily get over...

No, the problem is that apparently all the people working at TXL (restaurants, shops and so on) have already been fired, starting June 3rd. The Berliner Zeitung says that only one Baeckerei is supposed to be opened after that. I am sure they'll try to solve this, but it is an almost-closed airport. Also, I have some tickets on LH's new routes. Will they really get all those slots? I foresee a lot of cancellations, rebooking, chaos. I love TXL for the same reasons as you but... I fear that's gonna be a "BVG S-Bahn" kind of mess again! Hey, maybe they'll let us fly for free on week ends for a while like the BVG did...!

Really? I find TXL one of Europe’s most crappy airports. Cramped, rundown, long way to walk outside if you e.g. fly AB or SK and lot of smokers besieges the entry doors. And absolutely no high class public transport and a vending machine for bus tickets that doesn’t accept foreign credit cards.

Come on. Berlin can do must better. Looking forward to BER.

TXL is great, especially if you fly every week.

BER brings duty free shops galore, long immigration waits as more international flights come in, long walks to the baggage claim, long walks to the gate, long security queues, 50+ minutes to the city center by S-Bahn, and expensive taxi rides.

I fear that's gonna be a "BVG S-Bahn" kind of mess again! Hey, maybe they'll let us fly for free on week ends for a while like the BVG did...!

No such thing as a BVG S-Bahn...

TXL is great, especially if you fly every week.

BER brings duty free shops galore, long immigration waits as more international flights come in, long walks to the baggage claim, long walks to the gate, long security queues, 50+ minutes to the city center by S-Bahn, and expensive taxi rides.


i fear the long walks and the even longer travel on the trains as well. so i´m more than happy that txl stays there for some more weeks. to me ber is just a major pain in the butt.

Tegel is good just due to its central location, only several kms from city centre. All other facilities are 4th class. Architecture, goarding gates, security, shops, check in...
Hope to see new BER soon

TXL is great, especially if you fly every week.

BER brings duty free shops galore, long immigration waits as more international flights come in, long walks to the baggage claim, long walks to the gate, long security queues, 50+ minutes to the city center by S-Bahn, and expensive taxi rides.


Well, small airport=short walking distances, that’s right. But also fewer direct flights.

But why should immigration or security lines be longer?

For the transport, AFAIK, the train ride will be 30 minutes to Hauptbahnhof with one stop. A few weeks ago I spend 50 minutes on the TXL bus from Alexanderplatz to TXL. Not nice. And the train ride will cost you less than 3 euro. Price and time combination brings BER in European Spitzenklasse in this aspect.

Well, small airport=short walking distances, that’s right. But also fewer direct flights.

But why should immigration or security lines be longer?

TXL security is roughly per-gate, I never wait longer than a minute or two. Immigration is also per-flight. An international flight arriving in TXL, I'm in a taxi on my way home within 20 minutes of stepping off the plane -- that's if I have luggage.

BER will be common security lines and common immigration, ala LHR, although less international traffic initially...

For the transport, AFAIK, the train ride will be 30 minutes to Hauptbahnhof with one stop. A few weeks ago I spend 50 minutes on the TXL bus from Alexanderplatz to TXL. Not nice.

From Alexanderplatz, going to Hbf via the S7 and switching to the TXL bus there reduces the trip to ~30 minutes. Also, if you're close to the ringbahn, then getting off at Beusselstr is only a couple of stops on the TXL bus to the airport.

And the train ride will cost you less than 3 euro. Price and time combination brings BER in European Spitzenklasse in this aspect.

yes I am with you berlinflyer83 - the news that TXL would stay open just a bit longer was the best part of my day! Nothing beats taking a taxi to the gate, arriving just as boarding begins and walking from my taxi to my seat in less than ten minutes (seven of that for the security line). And returning is even faster - without luggage i can step off the plane and be in a taxi in under three minutes. While, it is certainly true that the facilities have been neglected for the past year - since BER's opening was "just months away" - for someone such as myself, who wants to spend as little time at the airport as possible, TXL is an excellent example of a transport machine designed to move people between the land and the plane.

Although I can convey all the advantages TXL offers, I just don't think that anything good can come of the complete chaos caused by this awfully late cancellation. Any prolonged advantages you'd get will likely be completely stamped out by the lack of slots, pressure from the EURO 2012/summer/new route traffic etc.

Perhaps I'm prejudiced, but a mess of this scale from a German project comes across as baffling.

Dear Deer,

I have been lurking this forum for years. Yet, it was your post that left me no choice but to turn thought into action and become a member. Bold as your statement may have been, but likening Tegel to the "world's best airport" strikes me as perfectly reasonable. As a man of humble means, Tegel airport has enabled me to get closer to the luxury of private jet travel than any other publicly serviced airfield providing scheduled service would have ever had the privilege to do. I have - literally - arrived t-h-r-e-e (1-2-3) minutes before departure and made my flight, rightfully having been scolded by the Lufthansa captain for my unacceptable tardiness and the size of my carry-on, but: I made the flight without delaying it. Three minutes: eins-zwei-drei - post 9-11! It is hard to believe that the father of the ingenuity of TXL is the same person who designed BER, an airport very much like all the others.

I will cherish every minute and every second I spend/t in this remarkable structure that has uncompromisingly been delivering to the passenger's first and foremost need: spending as little time departing and arriving possible. In an age of "forced passenger flow" (a.k.a. walking through a "duty free" area, being led to buy something by being bored senseless, waiting for your departure), I shall always remember the luxury of just getting out of a taxi and right onto my plane. Hello!?

Tegel, I love you.

I wholeheartedly agree.

Really? I find TXL one of Europe’s most crappy airports. Cramped, rundown, long way to walk outside if you e.g. fly AB or SK and lot of smokers besieges the entry doors. And absolutely no high class public transport and a vending machine for bus tickets that doesn’t accept foreign credit cards.

Come on. Berlin can do must better. Looking forward to BER.

I agree.
TXL is a dump.

Although I can convey all the advantages TXL offers, I just don't think that anything good can come of the complete chaos caused by this awfully late cancellation. Any prolonged advantages you'd get will likely be completely stamped out by the lack of slots, pressure from the EURO 2012/summer/new route traffic etc.

Perhaps I'm prejudiced, but a mess of this scale from a German project comes across as baffling.

No you are really not prejudiced ;)

The postponed opening of this airport enlightens many main problems of European regulations and the ever increasing bureaucracy. Many moons ago I have realized that business is more and more difficult with public and private customers.

Many of them request for an ever increasing amount of certifications and checks. If you work as a freelancer in Germany you may participate in public tenders when you pay our taxes, fill out a self-estimation form and sometimes provide information/proof of knowledge. Then your bid is considered and in SOME cases you may win against some competitors wiht lower wage costs. The only further requirement is a concept, detailed offer or a small test.

But participating for a larger tender in the EU is nearly impossible. Some request an official seal of the TÜV or another authorized private company that you comply with the DIN or EN rules. :td:

This costs you and your company lots of money even if this doesn´t deliver any benefit for the final customer or the public authority buying a service.

Furthermore some EU tenders require the disclosure of all invoices for cuostomers for e.g. more than a half year in order to be able to participate. :mad: So you may copy dozens or hundreds of invoices, transfer normally confidential information etc. ! Others require a certification that you have fulfilled projects of similar size or have an insurance with a really high sum insured.

All this leads to an enormous complex bidding and service process. Additionally there is an increasing number of rules concerning occupational health and safety. :td:

To keep it short and simple: This postponing of the airport opening is only a small but visible sign of bureaucracy and IMHO terrorist activities by some certification authorities. One has always to keep in mind that TÜV & Co. are PRIVATE companies wanting TO SELL.

So it became true what I communicate as a joke to my office neighbour (and what sometimes is a bit nerving for him :p): You can close every building site and every company with all the EU rules and also enforcing the most senseless one of them.....

Time to wake up now!

both luckily and surprisingly the new airport is not opening in June, but furthermore delayed (politicians say Aug/Sept - I think and hope Oct/Nov/Dez)!

Well, things like these happen. Nothing to get too excited over.

German engineering and planning are still top-notch and I expect the new airport to live up to all the hype. A few months' more wait won't change that.

German engineering and planning are still top-notch and I expect the new airport to live up to all the hype. A few months' more wait won't change that.

Is that why the opening has been delayed and the security lanes had to be expanded after the first test??

German Tabloid BILD reports, that Air Berlin and experts are asking for an opening not end of August, like the politicians said, but not before November in time for the winter schedules, when all problems (and it sounds like there were a lot, not only the fire security thing...) are solved.
Read here in German: http://goo.gl/xReuE

Hope this will get true!

Any news about the present lounges at TXL? Will the LH and the BA lounges continue to be open?

It always seemed strange to me that there wasn't a phased move, with the SXF flights moving to the new terminal first, and TXL a few weeks later.

Perhaps they will do this when the new schedule is announced.

I can totally understand the people who say that TXL has it advantages in terms of street-to-gate-time. That is something you will experience in a number of small airports.

But this is the only positive thing you can say about TXL.

Everyone who has (or wants) to use public transportation needs as much time to get to TXL as you will probably need to get to BER. The terminal is often totally crowded and blocked by the lines of people at check-in. The building is crap and the number of fingers is very low. The numbers of pax every year is far above the planned capacity and you can feel that.

We don't know what will happen in BER. I am sure, that during the first weeks there will be a lot of problems - of course. But in the long run, BER will be the better choice for the overall passengers.

TXL in the period till BER is going to be even worse... all those extra flights from the limited number of gates :eek:

Dear Deer,

I have been lurking this forum for years. Yet, it was your post that left me no choice but to turn thought into action and become a member. Bold as your statement may have been, but likening Tegel to the "world's best airport" strikes me as perfectly reasonable. As a man of humble means, Tegel airport has enabled me to get closer to the luxury of private jet travel than any other publicly serviced airfield providing scheduled service would have ever had the privilege to do. I have - literally - arrived t-h-r-e-e (1-2-3) minutes before departure and made my flight, rightfully having been scolded by the Lufthansa captain for my unacceptable tardiness and the size of my carry-on, but: I made the flight without delaying it. Three minutes: eins-zwei-drei - post 9-11! It is hard to believe that the father of the ingenuity of TXL is the same person who designed BER, an airport very much like all the others.

I will cherish every minute and every second I spend/t in this remarkable structure that has uncompromisingly been delivering to the passenger's first and foremost need: spending as little time departing and arriving possible. In an age of "forced passenger flow" (a.k.a. walking through a "duty free" area, being led to buy something by being bored senseless, waiting for your departure), I shall always remember the luxury of just getting out of a taxi and right onto my plane. Hello!?

Tegel, I love you.

Welcome to FT then, and thanks for the first airotique post... ;)

Really? I find TXL one of Europe’s most crappy airports. Cramped, rundown, long way to walk outside if you e.g. fly AB or SK and lot of smokers besieges the entry doors. And absolutely no high class public transport and a vending machine for bus tickets that doesn’t accept foreign credit cards.

Come on. Berlin can do must better. Looking forward to BER.

I agree with you Tango Alpha. Yes, the short distance from kerb to check-in to gate is excellent - PROVIDED you can fight your way through the queues, not just for your flight but for the flights one and two gates further down. Then you've got the trek to the lounge and back, again fighting your way through hundreds of people queuing at checkin in a space designed for flights of 20 people. Then you have to queue for the slowest and rudest security I have come across (including the TSA!). And don't get me started on the pathetic excuse for a "terminal" SN flights leave from.

Not much better on arrival. No matter which gate you arrive at it always seems to be at the furthest possible point from the front of the taxi queue.

I will miss sitting in the SEN lounge and being able to see the arrivals and departures on the big old fashioned board. However I for one am looking forward to BER opening and a speedy train ride to Hbf and then a short taxi ride to the hotel.

I have trips coming up in June and August and am really disappointed that I'm going to have to use TXL yet again.

Welcome to FT then, and thanks for the first airotique post... ;)

Thanks for the kind welcome mag; I appreciate it.

Tegel, I love you.

Tegel I hate you!

Long lines, unfriendly staff, lounges at the opposite end of the airport. I personally think that TXL is even worse than FRA!

Just my $.02

Tegel I hate you!

Long lines, unfriendly staff, lounges at the opposite end of the airport. I personally think that TXL is even worse than FRA!

Just my $.02

Yesterday my experience with the ground crew of AB (probably Globeground people) was not nice. The Check-in was a desaster and the answer to my complains about that:

"Then why don't you fly Lufthansa?"

I'm a certified member of the TXL fan club. There is nothing as important as short distances that enable late check-in times.

I love coming to Tegel conveniently by subway or S-Bahn and then by bus, also like the BA lounge with the most courteous staff and homely feel, not even to mention the minimalist feel in the terminal. All that a traveller needs is there, but nothing in excess.

Ah, do have to try the "currywurst wagon" parked in front before the lights go out, probably sometime around 2014...;)

Park car, walk, at check in = 5 minutes

beat that anywhere in a major city

Tegel I hate you!

Long lines, unfriendly staff, lounges at the opposite end of the airport. I personally think that TXL is even worse than FRA!

Just my $.02

Looks like the opening is likely delayed now until March 2013, per the Berliner Morgenpost.

http://www.morgenpost.de/flughafen-berlin-brandenburg/article106326632/BER-Eroeffnung-wahrscheinlich-erst-im-Maerz-2013.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter (article in German)

Looks like the opening is likely delayed now until March 2013, per the Berliner Morgenpost.


Confirmed now on their web site.

Happy St. Patrick's day, the new opening date is 17 March 2013

http://preview.berlin-airport.de/en/press/press-releases/2012/2012-05-17-new-BER-opening-date/index.php

How can they have got to less than a month of opening, before realising that they needed NINE more months work to finish it all!

I'm a certified member of the TXL fan club. There is nothing as important as short distances that enable late check-in times.

I love coming to Tegel conveniently by subway or S-Bahn and then by bus, also like the BA lounge with the most courteous staff and homely feel, not even to mention the minimalist feel in the terminal. All that a traveller needs is there, but nothing in excess.
I agree with you on the Lounges and friendly lounge staff that makes you feel at home, some of them do even personally recognise even an infrequent visitor to TXL like myself and the late check-in times are great.

I would challenge your "coming to Tegel conveniently by subway or S-Bahn and then by bus" statement though. I rather find it difficult to get to TXL by public transport even though I am very familiar with BVG and with travelling Berlin in general. IMHO a good airport needs a direct rail connection, my it be underground or S-Bahn.

I would challenge your "coming to Tegel conveniently by subway or S-Bahn and then by bus" statement though. I rather find it difficult to get to TXL by public transport even though I am very familiar with BVG and with travelling Berlin in general. IMHO a good airport needs a direct rail connection, my it be underground or S-Bahn.

Yes, you are right about the lack of a direct rail connection. I do normally take the U7 up to "Jakob-Kaiser-Platz" and then switch to either the 109 or TXL buses for the 5-6 minutes last stretch to the terminal. Or occasionally the "Ring" S-Bahn (S41/42(?)) to S-Bahn station "Beusselstrasse" and the TXL bus to the terminal.

So you get quite close to TXL without having to handle Berlin traffic and for the last stretch also taxis have been quite available during my travels. But of course experiences and opinons vary on this. :)

Yes, you are right about the lack of a direct rail connection. I do normally take the U7 up to "Jakob-Kaiser-Platz" and then switch to either the 109 or TXL buses for the 5-6 minutes last stretch to the terminal. Or occasionally the "Ring" S-Bahn (S41/42(?)) to S-Bahn station "Beusselstrasse" and the TXL bus to the terminal.

So you get quite close to TXL without having to handle Berlin traffic and for the last stretch also taxis have been quite available during my travels. But of course experiences and opinons vary on this. :)
Fair point!

SDZ reports March 17th, 2013 is the new opening date. Front page. Wowerweit said it himself.

:rolleyes:

I also think Tegel is a shame. C'mon, the capital of the biggest, richest economy in Europe has a main airport like this? Fitting as an LCC terminal for Ryanair and such. Time for BER - too bad TXL will be in service for another 10 months.

Park car, walk, at check in = 5 minutes

beat that anywhere in a major city

Yah. CPH: Car park/railway station-check in 2 minutes. Car park/railway station-lounge (airside after security) 5 minutes with access to fast track.

Another problem with TXL (which the Berlin-based fans seem to forget): if you are in transit (as I was this week, AB-AB) you normally need to do another security check. Not nice. At least the security guy at terminal C was one of the most kind and humorous of his kind I ever met.

SDZ reports March 17th, 2013 is the new opening date. Front page. Wowerweit said it himself.

:rolleyes:

I'm supposedly flying into BER on March 24th. Hopefully I get to be one of the first to fly into the new airport.

I'm supposedly flying into BER on March 24th. Hopefully I get to be one of the first to fly into the new airport.

Since there are rumors that the opening in March 2013 could be cancelled again, I would not bet on it.

Interesting article from Der Spiegel:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/documents-reveal-extent-of-problems-at-new-berlin-airport-a-847434.html

Looks like it will be even later than March 23rd...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/14/germany-berlin-airport-idUSL6E8JE90K20120814

Looks like it will be even later than March 23rd...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/14/germany-berlin-airport-idUSL6E8JE90K20120814

So frustrating. We bought our ticket from LHR-BER on Lufthansa for early April next year. Since we need to go to Bielfeld for a day, I was looking forward to taking the new train service direct from the airport. Now I have to deal with the TXL bus and lugging our bags on the metro.

http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,16218029,00.html

Since there are rumors that the opening in March 2013 could be cancelled again, I would not bet on it.

It's all your fault. :(

Soooo... what's a cab cost from TXL to Potsdame Platz? :p

It's all your fault. :(

Soooo... what's a cab cost from TXL to Potsdame Platz? :p

Less than 30 EUR.

I also think Tegel is a shame. C'mon, the capital of the biggest, richest economy in Europe has a main airport like this? Fitting as an LCC terminal for Ryanair and such. Time for BER - too bad TXL will be in service for another 10 months.

I still think that several European capitals could take an example in airport design from TXL. It really has everything that also a frequent traveller needs, from the cozy LH accessory shop to the Burger King outlet and the best lounge design anywhere in the BA waiting room.

Now it's 2014..... and maybe later.....

http://www.bild.de/news/inland/flughafen-berlin-brandenburg-international/eroeffnung-erst-2015-27980714.bild.html

According to http://www.thelocal.de/national/20130107-47175.html#.UOp8OXewV8E

The repeatedly delayed opening of Berlin’s new airport is set to pushed back until 2014, a newspaper reported on Monday.

Citing internal documents, the daily Bild said the problem-plagued Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport would not be able begin operations as planned on October 27 this year.

Horst Amann, the technical head of the project’s building authority, reportedly recently told a confidential discussion that the troubled airport would never be able to open before Christmas 2013.

.....

Not funny anymore - somebody high up has to take responsibility now. The damage to the national economy probably runs into more than a billion euros in the end. Politicians have resigned their job for lesser reasons...

Politicians have resigned their job for lesser reasons...This happends when politicans try to handle business. The head of the supervisory council is the mayor of Berlin.

They have big (fire) safety issues. Construction was done different than in the approved plans. I didn't think this was possible on a public project in Germany.

Not funny anymore - somebody high up has to take responsibility now. The damage to the national economy probably runs into more than a billion euros in the end. Politicians have resigned their job for lesser reasons...

Agreed. This is really not even the slightest bit funny anymore.

This happends when politicans try to handle business. The head of the supervisory council is the mayor of Berlin.

They have big (fire) safety issues. Construction was done different than in the approved plans. I didn't think this was possible on a public project in Germany.

Why don't they higher a business CEO with a track record of getting things done efficiently and expediently?

Why don't they higher a business CEO with a track record of getting things done efficiently and expediently?Because they are politicians ....

Wait how they enjoy the sunshine when everything works out (because somebody else made it go right).

Another one is the Elbe Philharmonic Hall (Elbphilharmonie) in Hamburg.

Planning by the city was €77 Million.

The contract in 2007 was €114 Million. Was supposed to get finished in 2010.

Costs have gone up and up and are now €545 Million. Estimated opening date: Spring 2017.

It’s a great project, but how can you be so off?!

This happends when politicans try to handle business. The head of the supervisory council is the mayor of Berlin.


I understand he is to step down from the project, with the head of the state/"governor" to take over.
What a mess indeed!
How can any carrier do any future route planning given this situation? I am afraid BER will see secondary air service for quite some time to come.
Kudos to FRA and MUC with their great n/s routes and convenient connections!

Why don't they higher a business CEO with a track record of getting things done efficiently and expediently?

I understand that Mitt Romney might be available. ;) :D

Construction was done different than in the approved plans. I didn't think this was possible on a public project in Germany.

Sadly, this is very common here in the Arab gulf countries, where such projects are perfect opportunity for kickbacks, corruption...etc. Which results in delays and expensive change orders.

Now they are saying that it won't open until 2015!!

http://www.thelocal.de/national/20130117-47393.html#.UPf-imd2B8E

.... technical manager Horst Amann soberly said he did not expect to be finished before 2015.
.....

Now they are saying that it won't open until 2015!!

http://www.thelocal.de/national/20130117-47393.html#.UPf-imd2B8E

This is becoming a stranger and stranger story.

Just read that Chuck Norris took over the BER airport management.

The airport will open at 7:30 AM tomorrow.

Incredible. Really.

I read recently, that the Chinese authorities just approved the building of a new 75 mio. pax capacity airport south of Beijing with 6 runways. The construction work will start next year and the airport is due to open in 2018.

I would not be surprised if they manage to do it on schedule.

Incredible. Really.

I read recently, that the Chinese authorities just approved the building of a new 75 mio. pax capacity airport south of Beijing with 6 runways. The construction work will start next year and the airport is due to open in 2018.

I would not be surprised if they manage to do it on schedule.

It seems like every few days we hear about yet another disaster in
China that could have been averted if safeguards were in place, instead of rushing projects as much as possible (aquariums, highways, firework trucks, etc.). I prefer going through TXL a few more (dozen) times over having a similar disaster happen in BER...

Just read that Chuck Norris took over the BER airport management.

The airport will open at 7:30 AM tomorrow.

buahahahhaha!^

Now they are saying that it won't open until 2015!!

http://www.thelocal.de/national/20130117-47393.html#.UPf-imd2B8E

Indeed! BER airport, seems delayed until 2015!
here you can find a courious fact about the 24/24 lights on! (Google translate!)

the inauguration was postponed four times
Berlin, the airport of discord
can not turn off the lights
The new airport "Willy Brandt" not very good efficiency for technical fault the lights stay on 24 hours 24

MILAN - After continued delays opening for structural problems, almost doubled the cost of the work, the controversy and outraged tone of the Germans, the new International Airport "Willy Brandt" Berlin-Brandenburg (BER) has a new problem: impossible to switch off the lights.

WEAKNESSES - The new airport in the German capital, which would replace the airports Tegel and Schönefeld, does not shine at all in terms of efficiency as a result of a twenty-year gestation, the inauguration was postponed four times already with a delay of almost three years, compared the original design. The cause is attributed always to the same problem, the plant fire, not in accordance with the permissions of the original project. However, problems were encountered recently conveyor belts for luggage, controls the automatic door, to the check-in counters and computer programs. And now arose yet another technical problem, rather embarrassing: you can not turn off the lights.

SWITCH - "The problem has to do with the fact that we have not made ​​sufficient progress with our lighting system so that you can control," admitted Horst Amann, technical coordinator of the project. In essence, the technical fault light stays on 24 hours on 24. A lighting at night would be required, however, for security reasons. Yet, an aerial photo of the "Willy Brandt" at night clearly documents the incredible waste of light and energy on 300,000 square feet of the structure. The costs of the bill are estimated at approximately € 4,500 per day.

COSTS DOUBLED - The design of the new airport, including Berlin and the State of Brandenburg control 37% head of the airport company, started in 1996. The construction was started nine years later. And if the initial plan at a cost of about € 2 billion, the budget has since doubled, exceeding 4.3 billion euro. The consequences for airlines and dozens of companies that have invested to operate from here, are very heavy. In the gigantic construction site there are currently 300 workers at work. Nevertheless, there is still no firm date for the opening of what should be one of the most modern airports in the world. "Before 2015 the BER will almost certainly not in operation," said an insider at Spiegel. From the day it opened, would go to the "Willy Brandt" up to 27 million passengers a year.

Elmar Burchia March 3, 2013 | 16:46 © REPRODUCTION RESERVED

corriere.it

Indeed! BER airport, seems delayed until 2015!
here you can find a courious fact about the 24/24 lights on! (Google translate!)
Der Spiegel has translated an article on this into English. The article, al:)ng with pictures, is here (http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/berlin-airport-problems-keep-mounting-with-light-switch-trouble-a-886103.html).

http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-467079-breitwandaufmacher-hvvf.jpg
http://cdn1.spiegel.de/images/image-467084-galleryV9-bygd.jpg

This story keeps getting stranger and stranger- certainly will one day be an interesting novel.