Loading ...Despite protest from airlines and local action groups, on December 4th, German authorities confirmed that Tempelhof Airport in Berlin would close to passengers.
The airline gained some notoriety 59 years ago for the role it played in the Berlin airlift.
After the airport closes, the former military site at Schoenefeld will be transformed into Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport.
The final decision was made by the Federal Administrative Court, who rejected protests lodged by carriers who have used the airport for years. According to the court, the decision does not infringe upon the rights of airlines, since alternatives are available in the area.
According to the announcement, the airport will close on October 31st, 2008. Cirros Airlines, Intersky and Brussels Airlines, the three carriers primarily operating from Tempelhof will have to move their operations and their flights to Schoenefeld on November 1st.
The airport has been operational since 1923 and was developed extensively under Nazi rule. The airport, along with Tegel and Gatow, were key in supplying the area following World War Two. But in recent years its use has been far more limited.
The airport’s main appeal is that it is the closest airport to Berlin and its city centre but that didn’t sway the decision to close down its operations next year.