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Berlin Tegel Airport, located in the northwest of Berlin, Germany, was the primary international airport of Berlin. Tegel Airport was built in 1974 and was named after aviation pioneer Otto Lilienthal. The airport, with its hexagonal terminal complex, served as a base for airlines such as Eurowings, Ryanair, and easyJet, and was the fourth busiest airport in Germany, with over 24 million passengers in 2019. Tegel Airport played a significant role in the history of West Berlin, providing a connection to the outside world during the Cold War era when West Berlin was separated from Communist East Germany by the Berlin Wall.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Berlin Tegel "Otto Lilienthal" Airport |
| IATA Code | TXL |
| ICAO Code | EDDT |
| Location | Tegel, Reinickendorf, Berlin, Germany |
| Year opened | 1974 |
| Year closed | 2020 |
| Replaced by | Berlin Brandenburg Airport |
| Distance from Berlin city centre | 8 km |
| Building shape | Hexagonal |
| Distance from car to gate | 28 m |
| Distance from aircraft to terminal exit | 30 m |
| Airlines | Eurowings, Ryanair, easyJet, Pan Am, Air France, British Airways |
| Incidents | Hijackings, Collisions, Crashes |
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What You'll Learn
- Berlin Tegel Airport was a gateway to freedom for those fleeing Soviet oppression
- The airport was the primary international airport of Berlin, Germany
- Tegel Airport was involved in several aircraft hijacking incidents
- The airport was replaced by the Berlin-Brandenburg Airport in 2020
- Tegel's unique hexagonal terminal complex allowed for short walking distances
Berlin Tegel Airport was a gateway to freedom for those fleeing Soviet oppression
Berlin Tegel Airport, located in the northwest of Berlin, Germany, holds a significant place in the history of the city and the country. The airport, which opened in 1974, became a symbol of freedom for West Berlin, a city that was surrounded by communist East Germany. During the Cold War era, Tegel Airport served as a gateway to the outside world for those living in West Berlin, offering a means of bypassing Soviet-controlled territories and escaping oppression.
The unique hexagonal design of its main terminal building, with an open square in the centre, made Tegel Airport stand out. This layout allowed for remarkably short walking distances, with passengers only needing to walk 28 to 30 meters from their car to the gate. This earned the airport the nickname "drive-in airport". The airport's quirky charm and its role in facilitating freedom of movement made it special in the hearts of many Berliners.
During the Berlin Blockade in 1948, the existing Tempelhof airport in West Berlin was not sufficient to handle the airlift's demands. This led to the development and expansion of Tegel Airport. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Tegel Airport quickly became too small for the unified city, and plans were made for a new, larger airport to replace it.
Tegel Airport played a crucial role in the struggle for freedom during the Cold War. Between 1969 and 1982, the airport was the destination of several aircraft hijackings involving LOT Polish Airlines. These hijackings were a desperate attempt by individuals to flee communist Poland and the Eastern Bloc. The French military authorities in charge of the airport during this period allowed the hijackers and other passengers who did not wish to return to Poland to disembark and claim political asylum in West Berlin. This further solidified Tegel Airport's reputation as a gateway to freedom.
In 2020, Tegel Airport was replaced by the newly constructed Berlin-Brandenburg Airport, bringing an end to its long and eventful history. Despite its small size, Tegel Airport had become Germany's fourth busiest airport, handling over 24 million passengers in 2019. The airport's closure marked the end of an era, evoking emotions and memories of its role in the city's turbulent past and its significance in the lives of those who sought freedom from oppression.
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The airport was the primary international airport of Berlin, Germany
Berlin Tegel "Otto Lilienthal" Airport, named after aviation pioneer Otto Lilienthal, was the primary international airport of Berlin, Germany. Located in Tegel, a section of the northern borough of Reinickendorf, it was about eight kilometres (five miles) northwest of Berlin's city centre. The airport was notable for its hexagonal main terminal building, which was designed around an open square. This unique design made for remarkably short walking distances, with passengers only having to walk about 28 to 30 metres (90 to 100 feet) from their car to the gate.
Tegel Airport played a significant role in the history of Berlin, especially during the Cold War era. When it was built, Tegel connected West Berlin to the outside world. Surrounded by the Berlin Wall and barbed wire constructed by Communist East Germany, West Berlin was like an island. The only way to bypass East German authorities was by flying in or out of Tegel Airport. During this period, the airport was under the control of the French military authorities, who allowed people seeking asylum in West Berlin to disembark, contributing to the airport's significance as a symbol of freedom.
Tegel Airport served as a base for several prominent airlines, including Eurowings, Ryanair, and easyJet, as well as Air France, British Airways, and Pan Am. It offered flights to various European destinations and some intercontinental routes. The airport experienced a steady increase in passenger traffic over the years, with over 24 million passengers in 2019, making it the fourth busiest airport in Germany. In 2016, Tegel handled over 60% of Berlin's airline passenger traffic.
However, as a united Berlin emerged after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Tegel Airport became too small to accommodate the city's growing aviation demands. The airport faced crowding issues and its lack of a transit zone caused inconveniences for passengers changing planes. Despite these challenges, Tegel Airport remained in operation until 2020 when it was replaced by the Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
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Tegel Airport was involved in several aircraft hijacking incidents
Tegel Airport, formerly known as Berlin Tegel "Otto Lilienthal" Airport, was the primary international airport of Berlin, Germany. It was situated in Tegel, a section of the northern borough of Reinickendorf, eight kilometres (five miles) northwest of the city centre of Berlin. The airport was named after aviation pioneer Otto Lilienthal.
During the Cold War era, West Berlin was like an island, separated from East Germany by an imposing wall and barbed wire. The only way to get around this was by flying in or out. Tegel Airport was, therefore, a symbol of freedom in West Berlin.
In addition to the above-mentioned series of hijackings, there were also two Cold War-era incidents relating to an American and a British airliner that had departed Tegel on international non-scheduled passenger services. On 7 January 1997, Austrian Airlines flight 104, a McDonnell Douglas MD-87 en route to Vienna International Airport, was hijacked shortly after takeoff from Tegel Airport by a Bosnian man carrying a knife. The pilots were forced to return to Berlin, where the perpetrator was overpowered by German police forces.
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The airport was replaced by the Berlin-Brandenburg Airport in 2020
Tegel Airport was the primary international airport of Berlin, Germany. It was located in Tegel, a section of the northern borough of Reinickendorf, eight kilometres (five miles) northwest of the city centre of Berlin. The airport was named after aviation pioneer Otto Lilienthal and was the fourth busiest airport in Germany, with over 24 million passengers in 2019.
Tegel Airport was built to connect West Berlin to the outside world. At the time, West Berlin was like an island, surrounded by walls and barbed wire built by Communist East Germany. The airport was used by several airlines, including Eurowings, Ryanair, and easyJet, as well as Air France, British Airways, and Pan Am. It featured flights to several European and intercontinental destinations.
Tegel Airport was known for its hexagonal main terminal building, which made walking distances short, with only a 28-metre (90-foot) walk from a car parked outside to the gate. However, due to increasing air traffic in Berlin, the airport became crowded, and passengers often had to board buses to reach their planes.
In 2020, Tegel Airport, along with Tempelhof and Schönefeld airports, was replaced by the Berlin-Brandenburg Airport (BER). The new airport became the single commercial airport serving Berlin and the surrounding State of Brandenburg, an area with 6 million inhabitants. Berlin-Brandenburg Airport received its operational license in May 2020 and opened for commercial traffic on 31 October 2020, with all airlines completing the transition from Tegel by 8 November 2020. The airport has a theoretical capacity of 46 million passengers per year and is projected to become one of the busiest airports in Germany and Europe.
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Tegel's unique hexagonal terminal complex allowed for short walking distances
Berlin Tegel "Otto Lilienthal" Airport was the primary international airport of Berlin, Germany. It was named after aviation pioneer Otto Lilienthal and was the fourth busiest airport in Germany, with over 24 million passengers in 2019. The airport was situated in Tegel, a section of the northern borough of Reinickendorf, eight kilometres (five miles) northwest of the city centre of Berlin.
Tegel Airport was known for its unique hexagonal terminal complex. Construction of this complex on the airport's south side began during the 1960s. The complex consisted of five terminals, with the main Terminal A boasting a hexagon shape. This unique design made the airport extremely simple and easy to navigate. The hexagonal shape of Terminal A allowed for short walking distances, with distances from the aircraft to the terminal exit as short as 30 metres (100 feet). The centre of the building featured a large open courtyard for traffic, pickups, and drop-offs in front of each individual gate. The terminal's design also included jet bridges and corresponding check-in counters, with some jetways serving multiple counters.
The airport's design was influenced by other airports, such as the Pan Am and TWA Terminals at JFK, as well as other West German projects like the Berlin Philharmonic and the Munich Olympic Park. The chromatic wayfinding system at Tegel utilised colours like yellow and green for signage and red steel for the deplaning hubs and extendable gates. The airport's opening party celebrated its hexagonal design, with hexagon-handled keys and novelty glasses for the architects.
Tegel Airport played a significant role in West Berlin's history, connecting it to the outside world during the Cold War era. It served as a base for airlines such as Eurowings, Ryanair, and easyJet, offering flights to European and intercontinental destinations. However, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the airport became too small for the increased traffic to a united Berlin. The airport was eventually replaced by the Berlin Brandenburg Airport in 2020.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Tegel Airport was in West Berlin.
Tegel Airport was opened in 1974.
Tegel Airport was designed to handle about 2.5 million passengers a year. However, in 2019, the airport saw a record-breaking 24.2 million passengers.
Tegel Airport's terminal building is hexagonal in shape, with a large open courtyard in the centre. This unique design allowed for short walking distances of about 30 metres from the aircraft to the terminal exit.
Tegel Airport was replaced by the Berlin-Brandenburg Airport in 2020.
