The travelers are returning to the capital city BER airport – but the operators are still a long way from the pre-crisis level. At Christmas, the processes should run more smoothly than in autumn.
BER continues to fight the consequences of the pandemic – both financially and operationally. After almost 10 million passengers this year, the operators expect only 17 million in 2022, as they announced after a board meeting on Friday evening.
In the record year 2019, around 36 million travelers flew via the two airports of Tegel and Schönefeld at the time. Despite the comparatively low number of passengers, the new BER reached its capacity limits during the autumn holidays – the result was a handling chaos.
The operators want to avoid this during the Christmas season and have now informed the Supervisory Board about the precautions. So the traffic will be handled again on both runways. Coordination will be improved with partners such as airlines and ground service providers. Travelers can now orientate themselves better in the terminal. In addition, more seating has been created in the waiting areas.
The situation remains tense
In addition, the second terminal is to be opened for the summer flight schedule next year, which is finished but will not be used due to the Corona crisis.
Despite these measures, the situation remains tense: “We have also made it clear that the structural shortage of staff at the airport partners and the high additional expense for the pandemic-related travel regulations of the various destination countries will pose major challenges for the passenger processes at BER well into the coming year will, »said airport manager Aletta von Massenbach.
A few weeks before the Christmas traffic, she had to face the questions of the control committee. More than a year after the opening of BER, those responsible are still struggling with financial problems and the processes. A lack of staff and space problems had caused chaos during the autumn holidays. Travelers waited for hours to check in. Some missed their flight. In November, an evacuation after a faulty fire alarm led to delays and flight cancellations.
Cautious optimism for 2022
Another topic on the Supervisory Board was the difficult economic situation of the company, which belongs to the states of Berlin and Brandenburg as well as the federal government. Above all, the absent passengers during the Corona crisis had exacerbated the tense situation. There is a plan for a partial discharge of society.
“In the business plan for 2022, we stated that we expect increasing passenger numbers and thus increasing sales revenues for the coming year,” said von Massenbach. “I am delighted that the Supervisory Board shares our cautious optimism for 2022 and has approved the business plan.”
The Supervisory Board did not make any personnel decisions on Friday. The company is currently looking for its own management member for operational issues.
Source From: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
