If you think that we have planning problems in the UK regarding airports just take a look at what is going on in Berlin. With now less than two weeks to go before the start of the winter airline season nobody seems to know where the future lies with the inner city airport of Tempelhof. Can you fly to Brussels, or can”t you? You certainly have a choice of three services daily to Munich on Germania. With a runway length of just over 2000m most modern short haul aircraft can technically get in and it is perfect for business jets.
A former military camp Tempelhof was inaugurated 1923 and from 1945 until 1990 was under US-Army administration. In May 1996 the owners of the airport, the German Government, the City of Berlin and the Federal State of Brandenburg, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to extend the capacity of the former East Berlin airport of Schoenefeld by an additional runway with the aim to make it the single gateway for Berlin; "Berlin-Brandenburg International ” BBI". According to the same MoU Tempelhof was to be closed after the plans for BBI were legally approved and established. Tegel, currently Berlin”s major airport, would be shut after the new runway of BBI became operational. With little progress at BBI in 1997 the rules were altered allowing THF to stay open until Brandenburg became operational. In fact Schoenefeld/Brandenburg is an existing airport with its own railway station, the situation further exasperated (from a German point of view) with easyJet moving in and using it as its base for ever expanding eastern European activities.
With Brandenburg International once again under financial shadows the politicos moved to close Tempelhof, which would force the resident airlines to change homes and strengthen the case for BBI. Everyone at THF erupted, led it could be argued, by SN Brussels. The closure was thrown out by the courts in late September just gone, perhaps a little too close to the winter timetable. Unfortunately some of the airlines (SN Brussels, Swiss, Luxair, Denim Air, EAE, Cirrus) had signed agreements to move from Tempelhof to Tegel after, allegedly, receiving generous offers from the airport authority. The lawyers were having a field day and quietly the Berlin airport authorities have changed the name Schoenefeld to Brandenburg and very much reduced Tempelhof visibility.
So what happens now? It”s a question of wait and see. Some are suggesting that a 2006 start for BBI construction is a red herring and clearly a 2010 completion date is wishful thinking. Cirrus is committed to THF and so is Basiq Air. SN Brussels officially say they are moving to Tegel at the end of the month where they will compete head-on with Lufthansa but rumours persist that Germania will put a Fokker 100 on the THF ” BRU route if SN changes locations. Which all reflects badly on a wonderful old airport in need of some refurbishment and ideally located in a capital city still to really make its mark in the post communist world. BizAir, TAG Aviation, and Sony are amongst major business operators. Interestingly efforts by Lufthansa to develop services to the equally well located London City Airport have failed. Whether it was price or location the route did not work.
If you are flying to Berlin over the next few weeks check with OAG Online. Your landing place may have changed. Readers who have never been to Tempelhof should grab a video of Harrison Ford”s ”Raiders of the Lost Ark”. It is well featured.
The loss of any airport, big or small, must be of concern to the air transport industry, users and operators alike. The closure of an important airport without a ready replacement is worrying. More important from a Berlin point of view if it wants to reacquire its position as a great capital of Europe it needs top quality communications. Tempelhof helps. A paper airport for the future is a splendid idea but you have to plan for today!
http://www.flughafen-berlin-tempelhof.de
http://www.berlin-airport.de