'On the contrary: we are planning to expand' in Berlin
No, it isn't that simple. Let me present you with some quotations.
There's a billion-dollar grave being dug here that won't do justice to us and to other low-cost carriers.
The BBI's dimensions are much too big and it would inevitably push up prices, even landing fees. These plans will also lead to a slump in passenger numbers.
John Kohlsaat, head of EasyJet's German operations
Easyjet wants to remain in Berlin. But if the BBI were built according to the existing plans, "we would consider changing our plans", Kohlsaat stressed.
He meant that the actual plans are tailored only to the needs of the traditional airlines. "They (the plans) originate from the 90's, from the times of Denver and Dallas, when low-cost flying did not emerge yet."
Easyjet would want to keep its present terminal as "the valued one".
The British criticize also up to four times longer way that the passengers will have to walk in the new BBI terminal. It would raise plane's turnaround times by over 20 minutes. Besides only ten gates for cheap fliers are planned. Easyjet alone uses six at present. "If the large airport in this form were built it would mean less efficiency and higher costs for lcc's".
Easyjet has already been trying to negotiate with the Berlin senate about making changes "of the outdated BBI plans".
The current planning threatens BBI to become an empty glass palace, where the functioning of Easyjet were no longer possible.
John Kohlsaat
Interestingly, also Ryanair seems to share this opinion with EZY.
"We don't need the massive marble palace," a Ryanair spokeswoman told German newspaper B.Z. am Sonntag, adding that "Berlin already has three lovely airports."
What Ryanair really want however is quite a different scenario. Unfortunately for them, they have been succesfully blocked by the local authorities from using their "own" airport. Not in Schönefeld but in the vincinity of the German capital. Due to the development plans at BBI, the airports of Neuhardenberg and Eberswalde-Finow, while having the runways good enough to serve big passenger jets (like Ryanair's 737's), are not allowed to accept them.
For example, Neuhardenberg has:
RWY 2400 x 50 m, Concrete
RWY 08 TKOF 2400 m; LDG 2400 m
RWY 26 TKOF 2400 m; LDG 2400 m
but:
MTOW PCN 53 R/B/W/T
The quotations based on today's news from "Die Welt", "DW" and "Der Tagesspiegel".