All eyes on Berlin: The new Terminal 1 at Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt (BER) opened today.

Planning and BER, that's one of those things. Because while the capital's airport opened nine years too late, not everything went according to plan on the day it went into operation. The first two Lufthansa and Easyjet planes were supposed to land at the same time. On the northern runway an Easyjet plane with the special flight number EJU 3110, coming from Berlin-Tegel and thus only a stone's throw away.

And on the southern runway Lufthansa 2020 with the special paintwork "Capital Flyer", started from Munich. But the weather thwarted the plan: rainy, the cloud ceiling is 1.000 feet - and thus below the required 3.000. That was how security worked. First the Easyjet machine was given permission to land, then the AUA mother was allowed to land.

The BER Terminal 1 in the slideshow:

There can be no question of a lack of attention here. Because BER, which cannot boast of the well-known German punctuality, opens exactly when the Federal Republic closes. That is why the expectations of those responsible for the airport are limited. The focus is on the future: “The capital is finally getting a modern airport that also reflects the people's desire to travel,” says airport boss Engelbert Lütke Daldrup. Not everyone is enthusiastic about it: several climate activists loudly express their displeasure with the opening. Police officers had to go out and moderate the demonstrators. In addition, Berlin's taxi drivers also went on strike. 

The BER demo in the slideshow:

Nonetheless, those involved were greatly relieved, the (presumably) last major event in Germany was all about the future-after-Corona. The first commercial flights will arrive at Terminal 1 in the evening. The first departure, however, takes place tomorrow, an Easyjet plane takes off to London-Gatwick.

The BER Terminal 2 in the slideshow:

The BER Terminal 5 in the slideshow: