Airport News

Airport News

The Berlin-Brandenburg Airport (BER), which will replace the German capital’s existing Tegel and Schoenefeld airports, will not open until March 2013 due to fire safety issues, Reuters has reported.

The €2.5 billion (£2 billion) airport was due to open on 3 June 2012 but the airport’s operator announced on 8 May that, following several crisis meetings over the safety of fire protection technology installed at the airport, this date would have to be pushed back.

According to Reuters, keeping the current airports open will cost €15 million (£12 million) a month and airlines that have been selling tickets for flight from BER will incur additional costs.

Open days held at the airport last week (12 & 13 May) attracted 100,000 people from the Berlin and Brandenburg areas and provided visitors with the opportunity to view the new airport from the apron and on a tour of the terminal. Berlin's Governing Mayor, Klaus Wowereit, and Brandenburg's Minister-President, Matthias Platzeck, also attended the BER open days.