If there is something that has turned from a bad joke to a farce, it’s the ongoing shambles that is Berlin-Brandenburg Airport.
As we’re aware, there been four attempted openings of this new Berlin Superhub airport – all of them been and gone, with the date pushed further back each time.
Well, there may be some positive news with plans to open a part of the new BER airport from 15th December. But don’t rush at once, as will handle a total of 2000 passengers a day.
Not 120,000 passengers, not 20,000 passengers … but 2,000 passengers.
According Google Translate and Berlin’s BZ – http://www.bz-berlin.de/service/flughafen-berlin-brandenburg/b-z-mit-mehdorn-auf-der-ber-baustelle-article1701787.html, the first activity at the new Berlin Airport will concentrated on the North Pier and for use with Low Cost Carriers such as Norwegian and Condor. Easyjet also has an interest operating from the new facility too.
The North Pier is not plagued by the issues that the rest of the Berlin Airport suffers – namely the smoke extraction system that doesn’t work as intended within the main terminal building.
This is all well and good, and represents a beginning. However, the bigger question still remains: When will the rest of this new airport open? Whilst a staged opening isn’t a bad start, this still remains a big issue.
Keeping BER closed is costing over €35 million a month – which is a pretty penny in anyones book.
Meanwhile, there is now talk of sending all the Low Cost Carriers to the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport when it is completed, and keeping Tegel open according to The Local http://www.thelocal.de/money/20130628-50575.html – which has been denied.
Considering that the closure of Tegel, Templehof and Schönefeld are required to open Berlin-Brandenburg, this could be a major shift in strategy if this comes to pass.
Whatever happens, this shambolic situation will continue… until new Berlin Airport opens in its entirety.
When that will be… I don’t honestly know…