New Berlin airport could face further delays – even into summer or autumn 2013

Date added: 18 August, 2012

Berlin’s new Brandenburg airport, the opening of which is already delayed till March 2013, is likely to be still further delayed – even to summer or autumn 2013.  It was meant to open in June 2012, but delay was caused by problems with the fire safety systems. The airport is trying to speed up the process, as delay is costing a great deal of money.  Besides the modifications to the fire systems, authorities have now found that tens of thousands of local residents will need to have their properties soundproofed against aircraft noise owing to a mix-up in planning flight paths. This noise insulation could cost €591 million for houses in the airport’s vicinity against noise, which it would cost if noise can never exceed a maximum level of 55dB. The company had previously filed an application to allow noise levels to exceed 55dB up to 6 times a day. But this has been withdrawn, allowing only one excess of 55dB in two days. The regular, large scale noise protesters at Frankfurt airport may be influencing their decision.



 

New Berlin airport could face further delays

17 August, 2012 (ABTN)
 by Alex Mcwhirter

Speculation in the German media suggests that the opening of Berlin’s new airport could be further delayed.

Originally Berlin’s Brandenburg airport should have opened in June this year. But the inauguration was postponed until March 17, 2013, owing to problems with the fire safety systems.

According to reports in German news outlets Der Tagesspiegel and Zeit Online, it appears that even this revised date will not be met. As a result, the first flights to use Berlin Brandenburg may not be until summer or autumn of next year.

But Brandenburg’s management said it was currently “evaluating” the date for the opening of the airport and no decision had been made on whether there would be a further delay.

Horst Amann, the company’s new chief operating officer, said: “I am currently evaluating the feasibility of the opening date with internal and external construction experts.

“We have only recently started with this work and are not yet in a position to conclude our evaluation. We expect to have clarity with regard to the opening date by the next supervisory board meeting in mid-September.“

Besides the modifications to the fire systems, reports state that the authorities have now found that tens of thousands of local residents will need to have their properties soundproofed against aircraft noise owing to a mix-up in planning flight paths.

The total cost of compensation is currently €1.17 billion but this will rise if the opening is further postponed.

Other associated firms losing revenue include the many concessions in and around the airport, the most significant of which is the new 322-room Steigenberger hotel, which is now ready for business but which management is having to ‘mothball’ until the airport finally opens.

Meanwhile there are report that Berlin’s other airport of Tegel (which should have closed when the new airport opened) has become increasingly strained as many more passengers than planned are having to use its facilities.

http://www.abtn.co.uk/news/1717729-new-berlin-airport-could-face-further-delays

 

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Berlin expects Brandenburg costs to overrun by a third

MICHAEL GUBISCH  (Flight Global)
 17 Aug 2012

Whether the German capital’s new hub can open on 17 March 2013 – the latest target date after the inauguration was delayed from 3 June this year – is not yet clear. Chief operating officer Horst Amann said after yesterday’s supervisory board meeting that the management is still “evaluating the feasibility” of the March opening with internal and external construction experts.

Berlin Brandenburg airport wants to provide “clarity” about the opening date at the next supervisory board meeting in mid-September.

This should also provide a clearer picture on the cost overruns. The operator says that the current estimate of €1.177 billion includes “a number of unknowns”, which depend on the opening date, and that the final amount could change.

The estimate comprises €586 million in costs directly related to the delay and €591 million to insulate houses in the airport’s vicinity against noise. The additional costs exceed the former €3.1 billion budget by more than a third.

This is to be funded through the airport’s own capital, bridging loans from banks and direct loans from the three shareholders – the city of Berlin, state of Brandenburg, and federal government. But further financial support from the public sector will require approval by the European Commission in Brussels.

A spokesman for the airport operator says the costs to insulate homes against noise are likely to be lower than the estimated €591 million. This was based on the assumption that noise should never exceed a maximum level of 55dB, while permanent noise levels must stay below 45dB.

The company had previously filed an application to allow noise levels to exceed 55dB up to six times a day. But this has been withdrawn in favour of one excess of 55dB in two days.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/berlin-expects-brandenburg-costs-to-overrun-by-a-third-375599/

 

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For news about the Frankfurt airport protests, which have been continuing since the opening of the new runway in late 2011, see Frankfurt Airport

and for more news about Berlin Brandenburg airport, see Berlin Airports

 

 

 

 

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Posted: Saturday, August 18th, 2012. Filed in News about Airports, Recent News.