The opening of Berlin’s new Brandenburg airport has been delayed “by several months” due to problems with the fire security systems, according to reports on Reuters and in the German media
Brandenburg airport (airport code: BER) is intended to replace both Tegel (TXL) and Schonefeld (SXF). A major overnight operation was planned to move all the equipment between Tegel and Brandenburg after close of business on June 2. This will now have to be cancelled.
Many passengers are likely to be inconvenienced by the postponement. This is not such a problem for those using one of the London airports because flight operations were not being expanded because of the new airport - other than the fact that passengers will continue to use Tegel and Schonefeld.
But it is of concern to the many thousands of passengers who will have booked the new schedules which Air Berlin and Lufthansa had planned to operate from Brandenburg with effect from June 3.
A Lufthansa spokesperson in London said: “Lufthansa will proceed with our expanded schedule from June 3 as planned. We are already in discussions with Tegel to secure the necessary slots for our new services. The extent of the delay in opening the new airport is not yet known but it could be put back until August or September.”
But Air Berlin maintained that its planned expansion from June 3 cannot be sustained at Tegel.
Harmut Mehdorn, Air Berlin’s CEO, said: “This rescheduling of flights [at Tegel] means we face a great challenge. It provides all parties with enormous logistical problems and significant additional costs.”
An Air Berlin spokesperson added: “Our new hub at Brandenburg is designed to handle six waves of connecting flights. This system is not feasible at Tegel."
Air Berlin says it will be contacting passengers as soon as possible to inform them of the situation.