Some say it’s “cursed”, but this weekend Berlin Brandenburg Airport (or Willy Brandt Airport) finally opened after years of setbacks.
This weekend, as Germany entered its second national lockdown of the year, the airport became operational. It marks 14 years since construction began in 2006, and nine years after its original opening date in 2012, due to significant structural issues and a series of problems that delayed its launch.
These challenges included management changes, failed fire and safety inspections, and the bankruptcy of a construction partner. Moreover, accusations of fraud and corruption, alongside a multitude of architectural, structural, and technical issues, contributed to the project’s extended timeline.
The airport faced massive budget overruns, escalating from an estimated budget of approximately €2.83 billion ($3.1 billion) to €7.3 billion ($8 billion). Plans for this new airport trace back to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, when the country’s leaders envisioned a modern transportation hub designed to attract long-haul travelers.
As it stands, there are two other airports in Berlin—Schönefeld Airport and Tegel Airport. Both are relatively outdated, with Tegel, the city’s main international airport, set to close shortly, shifting all operations to the new Brandenburg Airport. It is anticipated that the airport’s opening will stimulate the creation of up to 60,000 additional jobs in the region.
The international hub aims to connect Berlin and the surrounding region to a broader array of long-haul destinations. However, with the air travel industry currently under strain from the coronavirus pandemic and the opening weekend interrupted by protests from climate change activists, further challenges may still lie ahead for this long-awaited airport.
This article was first published on December 14, 2019, and updated on November 2, 2020.
