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Berlin Brandenburg opening soon

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  • 05-05-2020 8:19am
    #1
    xtradel
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭


    Berlin Brandenburg airport is finally due to open in November 2020 after years of problems. This video gives a brief history:




    And meanwhile here's Tegel airport during this current crisis:



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    #2
    Cookiemunster
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 11,847 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cookiemunster


    We'll see. Phrases like 'Once bitten, twice shy' and 'The boy who cried wolf' come to mind.


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    #3
    Nijmegen
    Registered Users Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭Nijmegen


    Just in time for a multi-year aviation industry recession! (Yeah yeah, infrastructure matters more for a long time than a temporary recession - but this project is truly cursed!) I remember being in Berlin when they delayed it originally. Hard to believe that's ten years ago - I was over visiting some friends who'd had their second kid, the older of whom is now a teenager and the younger not far off. I'd say compared to some of the airports that have been completed in the interim it'll actually feel quite staid when we finally get into it. Still, I'll book a flight through it once it's open the next time I'm headed out Berlin way, just to see what all the fuss was about.


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    #4
    goingnowhere
    Registered Users Posts: 4,142 ✭✭✭goingnowhere


    I've taxied around it many times, used the 'new' south runway.

    It is too small to replace SXF and TXL, well that might not be an issue anymore.

    Easy and Ryanair are going to hang on in SXF, and for all of SXF's problems if departing via Terminal A and a jetbridge gate (as EI used to do most of the time before they moved to TXL), I could get from the front door, check in, security and be at the gate in 5 minutes flat...

    Munich did the whole shutdown and move ops overnight, it is possible. Almost all airports in Germany close from 11pm so a lot easier than some countries.

    The sensible thing would be to move any SXF carrier who wants to move to BER first, e.g. EL AL, Aeroflot before committing to moving TXL, its just a quick tow across the airfield as SXF and BER are the same airport...


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    #5
    Seamai
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,250 ✭✭✭Seamai


    The whole thing has been an unmitigated farce.
    I remember being in Berin in 2011 and when I booked my ticket I was looking forward to seeing the new airport, 9 years on and it still hasn't opened! It's been a litany of scandals, bad planning, and fúck ups, you couldn't make it up.
    This is in a country that prides itself in it's efficiency. I was in Berlin 6 months ago and when I mentioned it to some German friends, one went into orbit in fury and the others were clearly too embarrassed to even talk about it.


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    #6
    Mehaffey1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,578 ✭✭✭Mehaffey1


    Real 28 Days Later look to Tegel there, flew in and out in November last year and was a great experience aside from the expected horrific costs for food and drink.


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    #7
    Mehaffey1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,578 ✭✭✭Mehaffey1


    On the new airport though we visited a couple, in Berlin, the husband works in the Ministry of Finance and says 'We don't want another airport!' has become a phrase for looking to avoid f**k ups!


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    #8
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,847 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    I thought Tegel was a very strange layout. Keeping all the passengers between solid walls and walls of glass, with cars on the other side of the glass. From a security aspect it was terrible.


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    #9
    Nijmegen
    Registered Users Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭Nijmegen


    whiterebel wrote: »
    I thought Tegel was a very strange layout. Keeping all the passengers between solid walls and walls of glass, with cars on the other side of the glass. From a security aspect it was terrible.

    Built for another era completely.


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    #10
    x567
    Registered Users Posts: 204 ✭✭x567


    I used to fly through Tegel a lot in the early 1990s. It was a very efficient layout for the volumes back then - taxi drop-off to plane door in the shortest possible distance. Haven't been back for many years but have fond memories of Berlin. Templehof was another interesting airport to fly through, mainly commuter turboprops at the time if I remember correctly.


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    #11
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,847 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    After a lot of arguing, the federal and local governments have agreed that Tegel is now due to close on June 15th for at least 2 months unless some unexpected gigantic pick up in traffic happens in the meantime.
    Seeing as the date for BER to open is the end of October, it looks very likely that Tegels shutdown in 3 weeks will effectively be permanent.

    The only reason Tegel wasnt closed earlier is that theres a special government terminal there that has higher security than regular passenger terminals, and the national government wanted to keep it open but they have finally caved in and let it shut.
    The replacement government terminal at Schonefeld/ BER wont be ready until October so they will just have to use a regular part of the (empty!) airport until then.


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    #12
    titan18
    Registered Users Posts: 11,935 ✭✭✭✭titan18


    Shame for Tegel really. Much better airport than Schonefeld, which is one of the more depressing airports I've been in


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    #13
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,353 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    While queuing for check-in in Tegel in November 2015, I noticed 'BER' on the elastic tape seperating the lines. Which suggested that instead of buying replacement equipment for Tegel, they sent over to BER for some kit they had probably paid for a long time ago but were still not using.


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    #14
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,018 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    I very much doubt Tegel will ever reopen after it's closed mid June. It's an ignominious end for such a historic airport. Built by the bare hands of West Berliners, desperate to see more landing capacity during the airlift. Iconic design as well. We will miss Tegel as our local airport. BER is on the other side of the city for us but I always thought that Berlin doesn't really need 2 airports once ground transportation is well organised, which it will be. BER will still be a shorter journey to central Berlin than MUC is to Munich, for example. Unfortunately that proximity to the city also came with a price...no night flights.

    Fun fact...in 2013 we flew from Berlin to Boston return with BA. Our tickets had the departure airport as TXL and the return as BER as the move was supposed to happen in that 3 week window.


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    #15
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,847 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    So, Tegel struggled on over the summer but the final flight will leave on Nov 8th at 3pm local time which will be a lufthansa A350 to Munich.

    Across town, Schoenefeld was re-labeled BER Terminal 5 there yesterday and will continue to serve low cost airlines
    The SXF airport code will be retired in 10 days on the 25th October with the new shiny BER terminal opening on the 31st October

    You'd almost expect a last minute change with that plan but it does actually seem to be going ahead at long last !!


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    #16
    goingnowhere
    Registered Users Posts: 4,142 ✭✭✭goingnowhere


    I was in Tegal last month, lots of folks with clipboards walking around working out how to strip out the place.


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    #17
    Acosta
    Registered Users Posts: 2,282 ✭✭✭Acosta


    munchkin_utd wrote: »
    So, Tegel struggled on over the summer but the final flight will leave on Nov 8th at 3pm local time which will be a lufthansa A350 to Munich.

    Across town, Schoenefeld was re-labeled BER Terminal 5 there yesterday and will continue to serve low cost airlines
    The SXF airport code will be retired in 10 days on the 25th October with the new shiny BER terminal opening on the 31st October

    You'd almost expect a last minute change with that plan but it does actually seem to be going ahead at long last !!

    The way it's all panned out, many won't believe it until they see passengers inside BER.

    If that glorified shed SXF is staying open I guess Ryanair will still use it.


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    #18
    Masala
    Registered Users Posts: 3,462 ✭✭✭Masala


    As a curiosity - is Ryanair moving from its present location??


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    #19
    Acosta
    Registered Users Posts: 2,282 ✭✭✭Acosta


    Masala wrote: »
    As a curiosity - is Ryanair moving from its present location??

    Hopefully. The departure area/gate they use is the most claustrophobic kip I've ever had the misfortune of being in at an airport. There's not even a toilet in there.


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    #20
    goingnowhere
    Registered Users Posts: 4,142 ✭✭✭goingnowhere


    Ryanair are staying put at SXF, there isn't any good gate at SXF...

    Aeroflot and EL AL are moving to BER I assume. The charter ops and bucket and spade I guess will stay at SXF

    Easyjet had operations at both TXL and SXF so be interesting to see what they do


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    #21
    Masala
    Registered Users Posts: 3,462 ✭✭✭Masala


    goingnowhere wrote: »
    Ryanair are staying put at SXF, there isn't any good gate at SXF...

    Aeroflot and EL AL are moving to BER I assume. The charter ops and bucket and spade I guess will stay at SXF

    Easyjet had operations at both TXL and SXF so be interesting to see what they do

    Will it be easy to arrive by Ryanair and then get a flight at BER. As in a shuttle OR a quick walk. So SXF is attached to BER???


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    #22
    goingnowhere
    Registered Users Posts: 4,142 ✭✭✭goingnowhere


    There is NO internal terminal transfer, public transport is your only option

    2.5km as the crow flies

    Options
    Bus
    Train (6.5km by train and its a long walk from the SXF station to SXF itself)
    Taxi


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    #23
    billie1b
    Registered Users Posts: 3,807 ✭✭✭billie1b


    goingnowhere wrote: »
    Train (6.5km by train and its a long walk from the SXF station to SXF itself)

    10 minutes tops from the airport door to the train station.


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    #24
    steve-o
    Registered Users Posts: 905 ✭✭✭steve-o


    billie1b wrote: »
    10 minutes tops from the airport door to the train station.
    And that would be walking slowly. It would take longer to walk from the Ryanair gates in Dublin to the front door of the airport!


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    #25
    LiamaDelta
    Registered Users Posts: 799 ✭✭✭LiamaDelta


    goingnowhere wrote: »
    Ryanair are staying put at SXF, there isn't any good gate at SXF...

    Aeroflot and EL AL are moving to BER I assume. The charter ops and bucket and spade I guess will stay at SXF

    Easyjet had operations at both TXL and SXF so be interesting to see what they do

    Ryanair booking system has Brandenburg as the destination from tomorrow.


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    #26
    goingnowhere
    Registered Users Posts: 4,142 ✭✭✭goingnowhere


    LiamaDelta wrote: »
    Ryanair booking system has Brandenburg as the destination from tomorrow.

    Which really means SXF T5


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    #27
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,353 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Nine years late and billions over budget, Berlin’s international airport opens mid-pandemic

    https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/nine-years-late-and-billions-over-budget-berlins-international-airport-opens-midpandemic-075405339.html


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    #28
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,018 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    It's open now finally. A few more days and then Tegel passes into aviation's history books.

    I have always believed that Berlin needs a single airport if we are ever to get more routes. Berlin is relatively poorly served by air compared to virtually every other Western European capital city. It's got the connections of a provincial airport. It'll likely never compete with MUC or FRA but it would be nice to be able to fly direct to a few more places from here. That was never going to happen with multiple small airports.


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