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- - BER not before 2014 ! (https://www.pprune.org/airlines-airports-routes/504519-ber-not-before-2014-a.html)

Thanks for the (quasi) links. Some good information there... How reliable is obviously another question altogether.

Utter and complete chaos this morning at SXF as the union called security personnel out on a warning strike this morning (5-8.45am).

My understanding is that the security staff is working on behalf of the Federal Police and the matter is in fact not in the hands of the airport operator. Still, quite messy and not helping the abysmal reputation of the place.

Edited: from online sources

Quote:

The union wants hourly pay for all workers conducting security checks to rise to 20 euros ($22.81). Employer association BDLS says this could amount to a 30 percent increase in some cases.

It is not a super complex job but €15-18 (my guess from the above) / hour seems awfully low.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExpectmorePayless (Post 10332611)

And they've gone and built the satellite building in such a position so as to lose use of one of the 3 decent boarding bridges. Never mind I suppose most the customer airlines now want boarding via forward and aft stairs, even though passengers may have to queue in the rain and snow.

I had the "privilege" of using this new satellite building today. Spartan doesn't really start to describe it

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....4a206950d5.jpg

new "terminal"

Very limited seating - and exactly four (!) chairs per gate once you've cleared the boarding check. No provision for priority boarding lane.
Zero lift access - I actually helped a woman with a small kid down the stairs with a stroller. How is this even legal in this day and age ? I'm sure there are provisions for handicapped persons but still...
Worst IMHO was the long (I estimate 3-400m) walk on the tarmac to the plane under pouring rain. And I thought they actually built this to make boarding easier.
The information screen were non working (ie did not know what gate was for which fly...). Surely a punctual issue but again not reflecting well on the facility.
No provision for police / pass control - this can only work as a Schengen (as long as it last...) or internal flights.
Indeed "sacrifies" one of the air bridges
Seems to be very much an Easyjet exclusive (but I might be mistaken). Edited: Ryanair seems to also use the facility.
No idea why the used dual numbering of the gates (3x/4x) - anyone ?

As a temporary / short term build why not... but as it would seem the SXF (current) will continue to exists, even in a LCC context, this is really sad.

Another visit this morning.

Apparently, SXF has "cordoned off" (with pretty impressive barbwires !) the 60+ gates. No idea if they want to transform into a detention centre (to be honest not much work required (IMHO) but it did not help the boarding situation this morning, as gates were changed left and right (with 45 minutes notice to actual boarding time, quite the mayhem !).
More seriouslyy it would seem that the rebuild of Pier3a is underway. Let's see if they manage to botch it as well as the others...

In case anyone had any doubts about whether BER's design capacity of 27m pax would cope... Berlin's 2 airports saw 34.7m pax in 2018. Furthermore Jan 2019 saw an increase of 400k pax compared to Jan 2018, so on a rolling 12 months it's now 35.1m pax

If BER were to theoretically open tomorrow and SXF continues to handle 12m pax (with which it really struggles) then BER would be running at 85% of design capacity from day 1. The new extension to BER is essential

October 2020 opening has been described as absolutely unrealistic
https://www.morgenpost.de/flughafen-...alistisch.html

Air traffic in Feb 2019 saw an increase of +365,000 pax for Berlin's 2 airports compared to Feb 2018, so rolling 12 months of 35.5m pax while Brandenburg airport has a design capacity of 27m pax

Who wants to make the next date for when it won't open?

Quote:

Originally Posted by AerRyan (Post 10434596)

Who wants to make the next date for when it won't open?

It will open as the last flight lands , meanwhile the rest of the world will have been using ' Star Trek , ' Transporters ' for years . It will be open then I'd guess ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by atakacs (Post 10360294)

No idea why the used dual numbering of the gates (3x/4x) - anyone ?

In fact, the building can be used either for Schengen (3x) or non-Schengen (4x) flights. In the latter case, the "routing" is different as you are directed to a passport control checkpoint (and, obviously, the "direct" access route is cordoned off). I wonder if they are actually switching from one the other during the day ?

Well it might actually happen: guinea pigs

Quote:

Originally Posted by atakacs (Post 10689529)

Well it might actually happen: guinea pigs

I’m not holding my breath.

https://www.bz-berlin.de/berlin/umla...-flughafen-ber

BER Airport is plagued by more than 5,000 construction defects

Berlin: Schönefeld Airport to Rename Terminals Ahead of BER Airport’s Opening

Quote:

Once BER Airport becomes operational in late October of 2020, what is known as Schönefeld Airport today will convert to Terminal 5. But even before, starting on March 31st, the terminal areas within Schönefeld Airport will be renamed.

More in the article from The Berlin Spectator

[/QUOTE]Who wants to make the next date for when it won't open?[QUOTE]

Are the bookies offering odds?

Lufthansa have announced that they will move all their flights to the new airport from 7th November 2020 so they must be pretty confident it will open.

At the time AB was also ready to move operations there...

With the latest mayhem I'd say that 2020 looks less and less likely.

Well latest update: https://www.n-tv.de/wirtschaft/Tuev-...e21727113.html

An important milestone, but anything is possible with that project !

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-52470012

Definitely, definitely, end of October 2020.

Because things are stable, predictable, and reliable just at the moment.

Definitely...

Well seems Tegel will be closed in June (the 15th according to latest news). Very unlikely to reopen so they better make the new airport work this time...

Quote:

Originally Posted by atakacs (Post 10787603)

Well seems Tegel will be closed in June (the 15th according to latest news). Very unlikely to reopen so they better make the new airport work this time...

Didn't they close then re-open THF when this all first started? They could do the same with TXL.

They could but won't... Politically too sensitive.

BER has to be operational in October or else...

Update: it might be that TXL will actually not close on the 15th...The only decision taken is that they could close is it legally (no service obligation). But with air travel slowly resuming all bets are off