Strike at Berlin Brandenburg Airport to Ground Flights

DALLAS — Berlin Brandenburg Airport's (BER) operator plans a strike on Wednesday, leading them to group all passenger flights. Around 300 takeoffs and landings were scheduled for Wednesday at BER, and over 35,000 passengers were expected to travel through the airport on January 25.

A spokesperson for the airport commented, "The airport company must assume in this situation that no regular passenger flights can take place at BER on this day."

The Ver.di union called for a strike for airport employees in aviation security, ground services, and the airport company in response to wage disputes. On Monday, the union commented, "The reason for the strike is parallel pay negotiations, for which no solution has yet been found in all three areas."

The union stated that it expects a majority of workers to participate in the strike that will affect air traffic control to/from BER throughout Wednesday.

About the Airport

Berlin Brandenburg Airport opened on October 3, 2020, after over nine years of delays. BER replaced the smaller Tegel and Schoenefeld airports.

With BER, travelers arriving in Berlin now utilize one consolidated airport. Construction on the new airport did not start until 2006, with a scheduled opening in 2011. However, many setbacks delayed the airport's completion. Problems regarding the terminal's construction, allegations of corruption, and improper fire safety systems forced countless executives to rotate in and out of the position as they tried but failed to complete the out-of-control airport. 

The airport consists of three terminals: Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and Terminal 5. Terminals 1 and 2 are the newest terminals composed of a U-shaped structure. Terminal 1, the largest terminal, consists of 25 jetway gates that most full-service carriers utilize. Terminal 2 consists of 12 non-jetway gates and is used primarily by low-cost carriers. Terminal 5, the old Schoenefeld Airport terminal, is located on the opiates side of Schnoefeld's old runway. 

Low-cost giants EasyJet (EC) and Ryanair (FR) are the largest carriers at the airport. Brandenburg connects Germany's capital with distances across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The airport's longest flights consist of a United Airlines (UA) flight to Newark Liberty International Airport (NWR), a Hainan Airlines (HU) flight to Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX), and a Scoot (TR) flight to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).

Explore how the German capital had been waiting for its new airport, Berlin Brandenburg, to become operational with SEBASTIAN SCHMITZ, who recounts a story of frustration in the December 2016 issue of Airways Magazine.

https://airwaysmag.com/product/december-2016/

Featured image: BER air traffic control tower (edited). Photo: By Arne Müseler / www.arne-mueseler.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 de