Voters To Decide Fate Of Historic Berlin Airport

The fate of historic Tempelhof Airport will be decided Sunday, April 27 as citizens of Berlin take part in a public referendum focusing on the closure of the airport well known for its role during the Berlin Airlift.

BBC News reported the referendum vote as the last hope for supporters to keep Germany's oldest airport in operation despite mounting political pressure and dissenters including environmental activists and local residents.

ANN reported in December the Federal Administrative Court ruled Tempelhof to be closed as of October 31, 2008 despite complaints by airlines serving the airport and local residents. Officials claimed that the airport had been losing money for years due to its lack of airline traffic.
 
The "Save Tempelhof Airport Association" unsuccessfully fought the closure decision in the courts, and decided on a referendum option to appeal to local residents. AOPA Germany also mobilized their membership to keep the airport open. Many see the airport as a symbol of Berlin's history and strength, as well as a viable and convenient airport for travel with its location -- only 20 minutes away from the center of Berlin.

City authorities counter Tempelhof needs to close in order to make way for the new international airport, Berlin Brandenburg International (BBI), due to open in 2011 on the outskirts of the city. Authorities believe keeping Tempelhof open and adding the new airport will put strain on the environment, and negatively impact economic development in the region. 

Critics to that way of thinking point out construction of BBI is behind schedule, and Tempelhof needs to remain open to accommodate rising passenger numbers. Though only a small number of commercial airlines and private jets use the airport currently, airport supporters believe this is due to years of residents and politicians ignoring the airport.

If the referendum favors Tempelhof remaining open, there is a risk city politicians will ignore it. Klaus Wowereit, Mayor of Berlin, has stated repeatedly that it is a non-binding referendum and the government is not bound by the result.

Such a move by the government may prove to be unpopular as other politicians have urged the government to respect the result of the referendum. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also publicly stated that she prefers the airport to remain open.

"For many people, and for me personally, this airport, with the airlift, is a symbol of the city's history," Merkel told the newspaper BZ, as reported by the BBC.

Built in 1923, Tempelhof made history during the Berlin Airlift of 1948, when thousands of tons of food and supplies were flown in to West Berlin by allied nations against the Soviet Union blockade.

FMI: www.berlin-airport.de/EN/index.html