Record Year for Berlin Airports - Successful launch of trial operations at Berlin Brandenburg

Record year for Berlin Airports

Beating the market for the ninth consecutive year
Berlin Airports will set a new passenger record this year. Having welcomed its 23 millionth passenger this week, Berlin Airports expect close to 24 mil-lion passengers in 2011 - representing year-on-year growth of about 7%.

Dr Rainer Schwarz, CEO of Berlin Airports said: "2011 will go down in our history as another record year. For the ninth year in a row, traffic growth at Berlin Airports was higher than the average for all German airports. Our continuous growth in the past years has laid an outstanding foundation for the future Berlin Brandenburg Airport."

Trial operations begins at BER
Trial operations at Berlin Brandenburg Airport began successfully on 24 November. Employees from airlines, security services, ground handlers and the airport are currently testing all operational procedures, and every-day ground and flight operations from check-in to security inspections to boarding are being simulated. The objective is to take advantage of the six-month trial period to identify and address any potential issues ahead of the opening of the new airport next June.

Milestones in 2011

Last hurdle has been cleared: green light for daytime off-peak flights
On 13 October 2011, Germany's Federal Administrative Court confirmed in last instance the operating hours of the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt. Commencing as planned on planned on 3 June 2012, regular flight operations will be scheduled from 5.30am to 11.30pm. No scheduled flights are allowed between 11.30pm and midnight and between 5.30am and 6.00am. These periods are reserved exclusively for flights which are early or delayed. Scheduled flights are prohibited between midnight and 5.00am. Dr Rainer Schwarz: "The decision by the Federal Administrative Court has finally given the airport company, the airlines and the neighbour-ing residents planning security. This decision represents a reasonable com-promise between the competitiveness of Berlin Brandenburg Airport and the interests of its adjacent neighbours."

airberlin and Lufthansa to grow at BER
In response to the court's decision, the two largest airlines in Berlin - air-berlin and Lufthansa - immediately committed to future expansion. airber-lin announced an expansion of its presence in Berlin. The route network will be expanded and the frequencies of the current connections will be in-creased. Beginning in May 2012, airberlin will also offer a new long-haul flight from Berlin: the airline will be flying non-stop to Los Angeles three times a week with the beginning of next year's summer schedule. More-over, Lufthansa announced 30 new destinations from Berlin for next sum-mer and will increase the number of aircraft based in Berlin from nine to fifteen. Dr Rainer Schwarz: "The announcements of airberlin and Lufthansa are major signals for air traffic in Germany's capital region. Berlin will be better connected to the world than ever before. Berlin Brandenburg Airport will offer more direct connections, new intercontinental routes and solid prospects for growth to attract airlines and investors."

Status of the construction work at BER
Construction at Berlin Brandenburg Airport is entering the final phase, with more then 5,500 construction workers currently working to complete the airport. Dr Manfred A Körtgen, managing director of operations/BBI of Berlin Airports: "Even now, in its construction phase, Berlin Brandenburg Airport is acting as the engine driving the region's economy. From June 2012, 20,000 people will be employed at Berlin Brandenburg Airport, mak-ing it the largest workplace in the region." The construction work at BER is on schedule. Terminal, passenger bridges, road connections and buildings for specific operations are mostly completed. "The opening date of 3 June 2012 is set. Until then, work at BER will continue full steam ahead," added Dr Körtgen.

2012: Home stretch to the BER opening

All systems in high gear up to the operational start-up
The next phase of the trial operation involving 10,000 "airport testers" from Berlin and Brandenburg will commence in February. More than 18,000 have already registered their interest, and more can still sign up on the waiting list. The new airport will be put through its paces in test runs until May. The transport of equipment and systems from Tegel and Schönefeld to the new airport will being in April 2012. The official opening ceremonies for Berlin Brandenburg Airport will be held on 24 May 2012, about a week before flight operations commence on 3 June.

Farewell to Schönefeld and Tegel
A chapter in Berlin's aviation history comes to an end on 2 June 2012: the two current airports Tegel and Schönefeld will be closed in the evening. Tegel will be closing its doors 42 years after starting civil aviation while Schönefeld will have completed 66 years of service. The last flight from Tegel will be operated by airberlin on the evening of 2 June; the last aircraft to take off from Schönefeld will be from Aeroflot.

3 June 2012: Airport Berlin Brandenburg takes off
The first flights from BER have been scheduled: airberlin and Lufthansa will start flight operations at the new airport in the early morning hours of 3 June. But before the aircraft rise into the air, a logistical challenge is waiting in the night from 2 to 3 June 2012: the great move from the current airports Tegel and Schönefeld to Berlin Brandenburg Airport. The challenge will be to transport mobile equipment, vehicles and systems from the two current airports to the new airport in one night. Flights will be taking off and landing at Tegel and Schönefeld until the late evening on 2 June, and Berlin Brandenburg Airport must be ready for operation early in the morning on 3 June.