What does the new BBI mean to Berlin and the Brandenburg region?
For many years, air traffic in Berlin has been split between three and, more recently, two airports. The new BBI airport will offer modern facilities, and concentrating traffic at one location means that we will be able to provide airlines with excellent transfer facilities. Furthermore, all passengers will be welcomed to the German Capital Region with state-of-the-art infrastructure.
How have low-cost carriers reacted to the new facility?
Our main customers have been involved in the planning and design of the terminal from the very earliest stages. In 2003, low-cost airlines started to play a major part in Berlin’s air traffic and since then many changes have been made to the original plans in order to reflect their needs. We have added a North Pier, which offers special low-cost facilities such as walk boarding positions and pre-boarding zones at a lower cost for the airline. Reactions from our existing low-cost airlines have been very positive, especially regarding the new airport’s fee structure, which is based on a “pay as you use” concept.
Will LCCs pay the same airport charges at the new airport as full-service carriers?
Generally, all airlines pay the same charges at the airport but this depends on what kind of facilities the airline requires and how efficiently it is operated. The quicker an airline turns its aircraft around and the less the airport is utilised, the lower the fees. Airlines can choose the best product for themselves and their customers. We will introduce check-in prices based on the number of desks required and the amount of time they are needed for, as well as a baggage fee per checked bag. A fixed fee for the waiting areas will reduce costs for airlines with larger aircraft and higher load factors. Our aim is to promote growth and increase utilisation of the airport facilities.
In what ways do you expect BBI to transform Berlin’s airline route network?
Its excellent transfer infrastructure means that we expect Berlin Brandenburg International Airport to develop into a transfer point for Europe. We have a unique geographic location, with east Germany and western Poland at our doorstep. We do not face competition from any other large airport in the region and flight time to Asia is considerably shorter than from the major hubs in the west of Germany. Berlin’s attractiveness as a destination also helps. Berlin has been named “Europe’s Capital of Cool” by Time magazine; is the most visited city in Germany; and ranks in third place in Europe after London and Paris, according to visitor numbers.
How do you see BBI fitting in with Germany’s other two global hubs – Frankfurt and Munich, particularly with Lufthansa’s hub operations there?
Frankfurt is the largest airport in Germany and it will stay this way. In Berlin we have a combination of the most modern facilities and an attractive destination, very much like Paris and London. Berlin can offer two things to airlines – excellent transfer infrastructure and an exciting and vibrant city. Air Berlin is joining oneworld at the same time as the opening of the new airport, so new opportunities for a oneworld member in this region are immense. Berlin is already bigger than the existing oneworld hubs at Helsinki and Budapest. As you mention Lufthansa – it has recognised the importance of Berlin and has started a project ‘Future Berlin’ to see how it can better position itself in the capital once the new airport opens.
Has the development of BBI meant that you have not been able to make improvements at Tegel and Schönefeld?
Not at all. We have built new terminals, renovated existing facilities and increased the capacities of both Schönefeld and Tegel to accommodate growth. Within 10 years, passenger numbers have doubled to 22.3 million by 2010. We continue to improve the efficiency of the airports and will continue to do so until the opening of the new airport on June 3, 2012. Our aim is to welcome all airlines that want to fly to Berlin, even before the new facilities are opened.
How are you marketing Berlin and its market to airlines?
Our airline marketing team has been active in marketing the existing facilities and promoting the new airport. We offer a range of marketing activities and incentive schemes for new airlines that have been integrated in to our fee table since 2004. A new customer is always valuable and welcomed with open arms. Our strategy is to develop a personal relationship with our customers and try to understand their needs.
How did you come to first work in airports or aviation?
My father used to work for Cargolux in Hong Kong. Flying in a DC-8 cargo aircraft from Luxembourg to Hong Kong as a young boy impressed me so much that I decided to work in aviation. By coincidence, after leaving university my father ran a consultancy company and suggested we work together in Hong Kong and represent Fraport in South East Asia. This was my first hands-on experience in aviation.
What has been the experience of being involved in the development of a major new airport?
It is a once in a lifetime experience – how often do you have the opportunity to see an airport like this develop from the start of the planning process to the opening? We have seen the first drawings, then slowly you see the construction site developing, and a few months later a whole new terminal has been erected, with an underground train station and enough space for airlines to grow in Berlin. As a Berliner myself, I am especially happy that Berlin will finally have an international airport of which it can be proud.
What can World Routes delegates look forward to in October?
We are putting all the details together now and I assure everybody that we will have some great experiences – from tours of the former Tempelhof Airport to a visit to the construction site of the new airport. For people who have been to the city before, I recommend the Potsdam tour, visiting the summer palaces of the Prussian kings set in a beautiful landscaped garden. Berlin is famous for its good parties; we have shown that in Vancouver and we are working on a great event for the Gala Evening – where you can enjoy a good drink and network at the same time. Let us surprise you, and be sure you don’t miss the event!
What is your ‘little known fact’?
The best way for me to relax is by cooking a good meal for friends at home. I love all different kinds of food but am especially fond of Asian cuisine.
If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be?
Sir Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein and Marilyn Monroe.
This issue appears in Routes News 2011 Issue 3
