'We were a laughing stock': Berlin airport finally finished as Covid bites
Almost three decades after the plans were first mooted, over nine years behind schedule and more than E4b over budget, Berlin’s new international airport is finally ready to open its doors. But the already tortuous birth of Berlin-Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport expected to open on 31 October, and once hailed as a celebration of the ambitious German reunification project, has only been compounded by the decision to unveil it in the middle of a pandemic. With the air industry plunged into the worst crisis of its 100-year history, most airplanes grounded and major airlines facing the prospect of bankruptcy, even the airport’s chief admitted the endeavour is at best courageous, at worst foolhardy. During a recent guided tour ahead of the opening, Engelbert Lütke Daldrup, the chairman of Berlin-Brandenburg airport since 2017, said: “Not only Berlin, but by extension the whole of Germany became a laughing stock over this. German engineers like me have felt embarrassed.” He admitted it may “take years” for the industry, and by extension his airport, to crawl back to anything like its former standing. “We are ready for take off,” he said. “But I expect it to take as long as maybe three or four years, for us to reach pre-coronavirus level of business ... the economic situation is dramatic.” His operating manager, Patrick Müller, goes so far as to say a recovery cannot be expected “until there is a vaccine”. Daily passenger numbers at BER are down by 100,000 passengers compared to before the crisis. It is currently haemorrhaging E1m a day, on top of high losses due to being over budget and years behind schedule. Story has more background and details.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2020-10-07/general/we-were-a-laughing-stock-berlin-airport-finally-finished-as-covid-bites
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'We were a laughing stock': Berlin airport finally finished as Covid bites
Almost three decades after the plans were first mooted, over nine years behind schedule and more than E4b over budget, Berlin’s new international airport is finally ready to open its doors. But the already tortuous birth of Berlin-Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport expected to open on 31 October, and once hailed as a celebration of the ambitious German reunification project, has only been compounded by the decision to unveil it in the middle of a pandemic. With the air industry plunged into the worst crisis of its 100-year history, most airplanes grounded and major airlines facing the prospect of bankruptcy, even the airport’s chief admitted the endeavour is at best courageous, at worst foolhardy. During a recent guided tour ahead of the opening, Engelbert Lütke Daldrup, the chairman of Berlin-Brandenburg airport since 2017, said: “Not only Berlin, but by extension the whole of Germany became a laughing stock over this. German engineers like me have felt embarrassed.” He admitted it may “take years” for the industry, and by extension his airport, to crawl back to anything like its former standing. “We are ready for take off,” he said. “But I expect it to take as long as maybe three or four years, for us to reach pre-coronavirus level of business ... the economic situation is dramatic.” His operating manager, Patrick Müller, goes so far as to say a recovery cannot be expected “until there is a vaccine”. Daily passenger numbers at BER are down by 100,000 passengers compared to before the crisis. It is currently haemorrhaging E1m a day, on top of high losses due to being over budget and years behind schedule. Story has more background and details.<br/>
