Supervisory Board Meeting: Evaluation of opening date on-going / Key decision on noise protection

In its meeting today, the supervisory board of Berlin Brandenburg Airport GmbH discussed the next steps with regard to the completion of the new airport Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt. Key topics were a decision concerning noise protection for local residents as well as the time and cost management for the airport. 

As requested during the last supervisory board meeting, Horst Amann, the new COO is currently evaluating the planned opening date of 17 March 2013. Contrary to media reports of recent days, there have been no new developments on this matter. Mr Amann said: “I am currently evaluating the feasibility of the opening date with internal and external construction experts. We have only recently started with this work and are not yet in a position to conclude our evaluation. We expect to have clarity with regard to the opening date by the next supervisory board meeting in mid-September.“ Furthermore, Mr Amann asked all interested parties to understand that “constant updates and speculation are not helpful for the time being. We will get on with our work, and as soon as we have any results we will inform the supervisory board and the public.”  

Mr Amann and his team are currently compiling status reports and implementation plans for the remainder of the work. Mr Amann added that a reliable timetable could only put forward once this work was completed.

”Today the supervisory board of our company has taken a key decision concerning the noise protection of local residents,” said Prof. Dr. Rainer Schwarz, CEO of Berlin Airports. “We will follow the measures put forward by the Brandenburg Ministry for Infrastructure that take into consideration the recent case law by the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg.“ The request for clarification that was lodged with the Infrastructure Ministry of Brandenburg will be withdrawn, said Mr Schwarz. This request for clarification aimed to establish that a particular noise threshold could be exceeded up to six times a day.

“This means that we will guarantee a very far reaching protection of local residents,“ said Mr Schwarz. “We will intensify our efforts concerning noise protection measures in the coming months. Our noise protection team will be strengthened and consultation times for residents will be extended. We will also establish a new information centre at Schönefeld Airport. Our objective is to ensure that as many residents as possible will benefit from our investment in noise abatement by the time the new airport opens.“