Berlin's new $3.18 billion airport will not open its doors until spring 2013, according to the capital city's mayor. The multi-billion dollar project was slated to open on June 3, 2012, but last-minute issues caused further delays.
The news comes after a recent statement that pushed the opening day from June 2012 to August due to fire safety issues. Airport officials said safety issues would be resolved by winter, but the lower temperatures would make for a difficult move. So a March 2013 opening date was chosen.
The state-of-the-art Willey Brandt Airport is now scheduled to open on March 17, 2013, according to Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit. The massive project is supposed to be symbolic of the city's reunification and progress, but the opening setbacks are undermining that image and embarrassing city officials, as well as angering airlines who have already booked flights going through the new airport beginning June 3, 2012.
Berlin currently has two older airports, Tegel and Schoenefeld. Tegel , which opened for commercial use in 1960, is situated in former West Germany. Schoenefeld, which became available for commercial use in 1947, is located in former East Germany and is outside of the city of Berlin. Both facilities are worn down and aging.
The new Berlin airport was originally scheduled to open in 2011, which was pushed pack to June 2012. All flights planned for the new airport will now be routed through the old airports of Tegel or Schoenefeld until March 2013, when the new airport opens. Tegel airport is scheduled to close when the new Berlin airport opens, while Schoenefeld will merge with the new airport.
The Willey Brandt Airport's head of technical planning, Manfred Koertgen, was fired due to public embarrassment over the airport's continued delays and his ineffective oversight of the project.
After the new Berlin airport opens, an expected 27 million people will travel through it annually, making it Germany's third busiest airport. Frankfurt airport attracted 56.4 million passengers in 2011, making it the top air travel destination in Germany. Munich airport brought in about 38 million people in 2011, earning it the title of second busiest airport in Germany.
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