A BER report card – Is Berlin’s airport the one to use or one to avoid?

Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) struggles to function as a major international hub, hindered by poor initial planning, a lack of expansion space, and a reliance on low-cost carriers. While the airport has implemented technological improvements like the "BER Runway" appointment system and upcoming CT security scanners to mitigate peak-hour congestion, it remains plagued by infrastructure limitations, such as inconvenient terminal layouts and insufficient long-haul connectivity. Urban planner Dieter Faulenbach da Costa argues that the site is fundamentally unsuitable for a major hub, noting that residential encroachment and noise constraints permanently limit its growth. Conversely, BER spokesman Jan-Peter Haack emphasizes that the airport is prioritizing digitalization and automation to maximize existing capacity, while actively pursuing new long-haul routes to meet the high demand for direct travel to Berlin from major global economic centers.