Owais Crawford
Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport (BER) was supposed to open in 2012, but it still stands empty. The airport was originally expected to cost €2 billion, but the cost has now skyrocketed to three times the intended budget. The project has been plagued by comically long delays, perpetual mismanagement, and engineering errors, becoming a source of embarrassment and frustration for Berliners. The airport finally opened in November 2020, nine years late, but the response was muted as Germany was in the midst of a pandemic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the airport | Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport (BER) |
| Year planning started | 1989 |
| Year construction began | 2006 |
| Original expected cost | €2 billion |
| Expected capacity | 27 million passengers a year |
| Original opening date | 2012 |
| Actual opening date | 1 November 2020 |
| Reasons for delay | Faulty fire safety system, technical flaws, escalators that were the wrong size, poorly installed cables, a shortage of check-in desks, mismanagement, engineering errors, computer glitch |
| Monthly maintenance cost | €16 million |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The airport was originally supposed to open in 2012 but has been delayed by engineering errors and mismanagement
- Fire safety issues were discovered in 2012, and technical flaws were found in 2015
- The airport has become a source of embarrassment and frustration for Berliners, politicians, and business leaders
- The project has faced cost increases of more than three and a half times the initial budget
- Despite challenges, the airport finally opened on November 1, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic
The airport was originally supposed to open in 2012 but has been delayed by engineering errors and mismanagement
The Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport (BER) was originally supposed to open in 2012 but has been delayed by engineering errors and mismanagement. Planning for the new airport began after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The city broke ground on the new airport in 2006, with the understanding that both Tegel and Schönefeld airports would close when it opened.
The first major sign of trouble came in the summer of 2010 when the opening date was pushed from October 2011 to June 2012. In 2012, the airport was ready for its opening ceremony, which would have been attended by Chancellor Angela Merkel. However, less than a month before the ceremony, inspectors found significant problems with the fire safety system, and the opening was pushed back to 2013.
A safety inspection team uncovered several issues, including faulty wiring, high-voltage lines laid along data cables, and smoke evacuation ducts placed in floors. In addition to these engineering errors, the airport has also been plagued by mismanagement, with costs expected to be more than three and a half times the initial budget of €2 billion.
The failed opening in 2012 led to suggestions that the project should be ditched and started over. However, this did not happen, and the airport continued to face delays and increasing costs. For months in 2013, a computer glitch meant planners couldn't turn off the lights in the terminal. Empty trains also run into the airport's station every weekday to keep it properly ventilated, incurring further costs.
Despite these issues, officials announced in 2020 that the airport would finally open on October 31, 2020, more than eight years late and billions of dollars over budget. The airport eventually opened on November 1, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Traveler's Guide: Gates at OKC Airport
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Fire safety issues were discovered in 2012, and technical flaws were found in 2015
The Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), which was initially set to open in 2012, encountered a series of delays due to various issues, including fire safety and technical flaws.
In 2012, inspectors discovered significant problems with the fire safety system, leading to the postponement of the airport's opening. The fire alarms were found to be faulty, and the smoke evacuation ducts had been placed in floors, which could have been dangerous. To address this, the airport planned to station 800 workers with cell phones throughout the terminal as a human evacuation solution. However, this quick fix was scrapped when more technical issues emerged.
In November 2015, auditors with the Brandenburg Comptroller revealed that the financial control executed by Berlin, Brandenburg, and Germany over the airport was insufficient and inefficient. The report highlighted construction lapses and the flawed financial concept of the airport, which assumed Berlin would become a major international hub. By 2015, total costs had soared to €5.4 billion, and the airport faced the risk of bankruptcy.
The airport also faced other challenges, such as issues with wiring, the smoke suction system, and legal troubles due to concerns about airplane noise. The opening date was pushed back several times, and the airport finally opened in November 2020, nine years after the initial deadline. The delays, cost overruns, and management issues damaged Germany's reputation for efficiency and engineering prowess.
Starbucks Availability at Newark Airport: A Quick Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The airport has become a source of embarrassment and frustration for Berliners, politicians, and business leaders
Berlin’s Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport (BER) looks exactly like any other major modern airport in Europe. However, more than seven years after it was originally supposed to open, it still stands empty. Germany is known for its efficiency and refined engineering, but the new ghost airport is quite the opposite. Plagued by long delays, mismanagement, and engineering errors, the airport has become a source of embarrassment and frustration for Berliners, politicians, and business leaders.
The planning for the new airport began after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The newly-reunified capital needed a modern airport with greater capacity than its Cold War-era airports, Tegel and Schönefeld. Construction on the new airport began in 2006, and it was originally expected to cost €2 billion. The airport was to handle 27 million passengers a year, making it the third busiest in Germany.
The first major sign of trouble came in the summer of 2010 when the opening was pushed from October 2011 to June 2012. In 2012, just a month before the planned opening ceremony, inspectors found significant problems with the fire safety system, and the opening was pushed back again to 2013. In 2013, a computer glitch meant planners couldn’t turn off the lights in the terminal for months. Other issues included faulty wiring, poorly-installed cables, and escalators that were the wrong size.
The failed opening in 2012 led to calls for the project to be scrapped and started over. However, this did not happen, and costs continued to skyrocket. The airport, which was originally expected to cost €2 billion, is now expected to cost more than three and a half times the initial budget. German taxpayers pay €16 million a month to keep it operational. The saga has become a national disgrace and a punchline, and it has also destroyed political careers.
Oakland International Airport: A Traveler's Guide to Oakland, CA
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The project has faced cost increases of more than three and a half times the initial budget
The Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport (BER) was originally expected to cost €2 billion. However, due to various delays and complications, the project's costs have skyrocketed to more than three and a half times the initial budget. This has been a source of frustration for many Berliners and has become a running joke among the city's residents.
The airport was planned to open in 2012, but a series of issues, including problems with the fire safety system, faulty wiring, and technical flaws, led to multiple cancellations of the opening ceremony. As a result, the airport corporation faced the challenge of fixing these issues while managing the escalating costs.
One of the main reasons for the cost increases is the decision to push forward with fixing the issues rather than starting over. This is an example of the sunk cost fallacy, where organisations are hesitant to cut their losses and start anew, even when it may be more logical to do so. The ongoing costs of maintaining the airport, even while empty, further contributed to the budget overrun.
In addition to the technical challenges, the airport project also faced management issues and engineering errors. There were also instances of corruption and political fallout associated with the project, further complicating its progress. All of these factors contributed to the significant increase in costs over time.
Despite the challenges and delays, the airport finally opened its doors in November 2020, nine years after the original opening date. While the airport is now operational, the journey to its completion serves as a reminder of the potential pitfalls and complexities that can arise in major infrastructure projects.
Stansted Airport: Where to Find WiFi
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Despite challenges, the airport finally opened on November 1, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic
Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport (BER) finally opened on November 1, 2020, nine years after its original opening date in 2012. The airport's opening was delayed several times due to various issues, including fire safety problems, technical flaws, and mismanagement. The delays and cost overruns became a source of embarrassment and frustration for many in Berlin and Germany.
In the lead-up to the originally planned opening in 2012, inspectors discovered significant problems with the fire safety system, prompting the airport corporation to push back the opening date. This issue was particularly concerning given that a fire at Dusseldorf airport had killed 17 people just six years prior. Other issues discovered during inspections included faulty wiring, poorly installed cables, and incorrectly sized escalators. These problems led to multiple cancelled openings and a spiralling budget.
The airport's construction was also plagued by mismanagement and engineering errors, with costs eventually reaching three and a half times the initial budget. The project's reputation for inefficiency stood in stark contrast to Germany's reputation for planning, execution, and engineering prowess. The saga destroyed political careers and even led to a conviction on corruption charges for the project's former technical director.
Despite these challenges, the airport finally opened its doors in November 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The response to the opening was muted, given the circumstances of the pandemic and the airport's troubled history. However, the successful opening brought an end to years of delays and false starts, and the airport began serving passengers and facilitating travel to and from Berlin.
The opening of the airport also marked the closure of the city's Cold War-era airports, Tegel and Schönefeld. With a capacity to handle 27 million passengers annually, BER was designed to accommodate the reunified capital's increased travel demands. While the airport's journey to completion was fraught with difficulties, its eventual opening signalled a new chapter in Berlin's aviation history and provided a modern gateway to the city.
Zanzibar Airport: Travel Hub for Exotic Getaways
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport (BER) is a modern airport in Berlin that stood empty for more than seven years after it was originally supposed to open.
The airport was plagued by long delays and engineering errors, including a faulty fire safety system. In 2012, inspectors found significant problems with the fire safety system, and the opening was pushed back to 2013.
Yes, the airport finally opened on November 1, 2020, nine years late and billions of dollars over budget.
