This time next year, delegates will be descending on Berlin for the annual World Route Development Forum, and the German city is itself continuing preparations for the landmark opening of the new Airport Berlin Brandenburg International (BBI) which will finally unify its airport system.
The long-awaited unification of Berlin's airport system took its first step when the historic Tempelhof airport closed two years ago. Under the plans, the new Brandenburg airport, which will be named after the late chancellor Willy Brandt, will replace Berlin's remaining two airports Tegel and Schonefeld when it opens in June 2012. Opening of the new airport was earlier this year put back seven months after airport operator Berliner Flughafen opted to adjust its plans and to construct two new security-screening pavilions from the start in order to meet new European regulations requiring liquid scanners at security check-points from April 2013.
The new airport, located adjacent to the existing Schonefeld facility, will initially be able to handle 27 million passengers annually but could ultimately be expanded to handle 40 million. Berliner Flughafen's chief operating officer Manfred Kortgen estimates the new airport will open with around 22 million passengers. The existing Tegel airport handles around 14 million and Schonefeld more than 6 million. The switch-over will take place in one night. While closing two airports and opening another handling 22 million passengers might cause seem daunting - especially given the difficulties at some other recent airport transitions such as at Heathrow's terminal 5 - Kortgen is confident. He brings with him experience of opening a new facility at another German city, Dusseldorf, and points to the extensive testing which will take place ahead of the opening. "For six months [before opening] we will test," he says, noting these will be full testing involving all the players in the process.
- The 17th World Routes Development Forum will be held in Berlin 2-4 October 2011
Source: Flight Daily News