Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport finally opens after a decade of delays
Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport (BER) has finally opened after nearly a decade of delays. Named after former West Germany Chancellor Willy Brandt, the new airport, which began construction in 2006 was plagued by financial problems, bureaucratic delays and construction flaws.
The project went 4 billion Euros over budget and faces growing uncertainty, with the global pandemic greatly reducing demand for travel. However, with two of Berlin’s three existing airports closing and nearly 300 million Euros in government aid, there is hope that the new facility will weather the pandemic.
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History
Plans for a new airport in Berlin began shortly after Germany’s reunification in 1989. However, it wasn’t until 2006 when construction began on the site of Shoenefeld Airport, which had once been dubbed the worst airport in the world and officially closed Oct. 25, 2020.
The new Brandenburg airport was set to open in 2011, with Chancellor Angela Merkel making an appearance. However, plans were canceled when inspectors found major construction flaws. The airport’s opening was pushed back three years while problems were addressed and debt accumulated. After another failed opening in 2016, the inauguration was scrapped indefinitely while developers attempted to get the project under control.
With reports of incompetence and corruption abounding, the mayor of Berlin resigned over the project, calling it his “biggest failure.” When the doors finally opened on Saturday, staff were greeted by environmental protestors dressed like penguins rather than hordes of eager travelers.
In some ways, the lower demand for travel could be a good thing for an airport plagued by infrastructure issues. Even the inaugural landing didn’t go as planned, with Lufthansa and EasyJet scuttling a joint landing due to poor visibility.
Operating at half capacity
Brandenburg’s Airport is four times the size of Tegel International, which is closing on Nov. 8. However, the airport is still not operating at full capacity since only one terminal is operating while the second remains closed due to the pandemic. The facility is currently set up for domestic flights, with plans in the works to make room for jumbo jets like the A380. With the pandemic limiting the need for an additional terminal, authorities are in no rush to open it.
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- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees