Planned Berlin Airport Runs Into Rough Weather Again

After being bogged down for almost 15 years in legal wrangles, residents' protests and red tape, the Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport (BBI) was believed to be on its way to realization after a court ruling earlier this year gave the venture the green light.

But now, just days before work commences on the site southeast of Berlin, the project has come up against another roadblock.

No-frills carriers Easyjet and Ryanair have slammed plans for the airport, questioning the need for such a mammoth facility.

"There's a billion-dollar grave being dug here that won't do justice to us and to other low-cost carriers," John Kohlsaat, the Germany head of British discount airline Easyjet told news magazine Der Spiegel.

The BBI's dimensions are much too big and it would inevitably push up prices, even landing fees, Kohlsaat said. He added that the plans would also lead to a slump in passenger numbers.

Berlin well served by existing airports?

Irish low-budget carrier Ryanair pointed out that Berlin was already well served by its existing airports.

"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."

The argument is not new. For years, opponents have argued that the airports Tegel, Tempelhof and Schönefeld -- the latter being the former airport of communist East Berlin -- are perfectly capable of meeting Berlin's aviation needs. But others, including politicians and business leaders, have insisted that an international airport in Berlin is crucial for the further economic development of the region.

Currently, Berlin is not easily reachable with direct flights from destinations outside of Europe. Often passengers need to fly through larger airports such as Frankfurt, Paris or London when traveling overseas.

Construction work on the BBI is slated to begin on Sept. 5 and is estimated to cost around 2 million euros ($2.56 million). The airport is scheduled to open in 2011.

Experts fear financial problems

The criticism by Easyjet and Ryanair was echoed by Germany's free-market liberal FDP party on Monday.

Klaus-Peter von Lüdeke, FDP spokesperson on traffic and infrastructure said the BDI planning was excessively expensive and long-winding. Von Lüdeke also pointed out that Berlin's airports had in the past years frittered away funds meant to help balance their account books, thus endangering the BBI project.

According to Berlin's airports authority, the planned closure of the Tempelhof airport, a Nazi-era relic, alone would cost about 25 million euros. However the 2005 business report for Berlin's airports shows that the airports' financial reserves amount to only about 18 million euros.

BBI says it caters to discount airlines

The BBI however has rebuffed the criticism, saying its plans also take low-budget carriers into consideration.

"BBI is already optimally geared towards traditional airlines as well as discount carriers," Burkhard Kieker, the marketing head of BBI, said.

Kieker stressed that in the past months, the BBI had -- during talks with airlines -- included an own low-cost pier for discount carriers.

Germany's second-biggest carrier, the low-budget airline Air Berlin, has said it doesn't expect drastically high fees at the BBI.

Airline spokesman Peter Hauptvogel told newspaper Tagesspiegel am Sonntag that Easyjet was merely trying to defend its current subsidies.

In future, all airlines would have to pay the same landing fees, Hauptvogel added. "Then even Easyjet will have to calculate anew."