From today, 8 November 2020, Air France has started operating flights to the brand new Berlin-Brandenburg Willy Brandt International Airport (BER). The first to use the new airport for the carrier was Flight AF1434 operated by an Airbus A319, which took off from Paris-Charles de Gaulle around 7:30 a.m., with a scheduled arrival in Berlin at 9:10 a.m. (local time).
At Berlin-Brandenburg, the airline’s customers will be welcomed at Terminal 1. Eligible passengers will have access to Skypriority, the airline’s service offering priority check-in, boarding and baggage delivery on arrival. They will also have access to the airport’s lounges.
This winter, customers will have access to up to 5 flights between the two airports, linking Berlin to the Air France hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle which operates flights to close to 170 destinations worldwide.
End of operations at Berlin-Tegel airport
By transferring all its flights to Berlin-Brandenburg Willy Brandt airport, Air France will cease all operations to and from the historic German airport Berlin-Tegel. In 1960, it was the first airline to land a commercial flight at Berlin-Tegel. On 8 November 2020, it will also be the very last airline to take off from this airport before its final closure. Flight AF1235, operated by Airbus A321, will take off at 3:00 p.m., arriving at Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 4:50 p.m. (local time). To celebrate the event, customers on this last flight will enjoy special surprises.
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| Photo Reuters |
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| Photo Air France |
The history of Air France at Berlin-Tegel
2 January 1960: For the first time, a commercial flight operated by Lockheed Constellation landed at Berlin-Tegel after a stopover in Frankfurt. Air France launched regular operations to the airport, which until then had only been used for military purposes.
1961: The Caravelle operated all flights to Berlin-Tegel.
1976: The supersonic aircraft Concorde landed at Tegel - even before the start of its scheduled service. 60,000 visitors flocked to the airport.
1977: Air France operated the Paris-Düsseldorf-Berlin route twice a day by Boeing B727-200 (154 seats) - replacing the smaller Caravelle.
1980: Air France celebrated the 30th anniversary of its network in Germany and the 5,000,000th passenger on routes to and from Berlin.
18 April 1988: Air France’s Airbus A320 celebrates its world premiere on the Paris-Berlin route.
November 1988: Start of the first of the 100 weekly flights of the new airline “EuroBerlin France” from Tegel to Frankfurt, Cologne, Munich and Stuttgart. The airline was 51% owned by Air France and 49% by Deutsche Lufthansa, and was based at Berlin-Tegel.
1st December 2017, the Air France subsidiary Joon started operations between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Berlin-Tegel up to six times a day. With the suspension of Joon in 2019, Air France once again started operating the route itself.
2020: Until the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, Air France operated up to six daily services between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Berlin-Tegel. Air France has maintained these services even during the Coronavirus pandemic, with up to 21 weekly flights between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Berlin-Tegel.
8 November 2020: Air France operates up to five daily flights between the new Berlin-Brandenburg Airport (BER) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle. Passengers have access to Air France’s global network of some 170 destinations worldwide.
Tegel closes......
What future does the old, yet oddly beautiful Tegel have? Well, it will continue to have a useful life, no longer as hub of aeronaitoical advantueres but as the home to a new research and industrial park named. It heritage will be celebrated in the name 'Berlin TXL.' which has been assigned to the area. Part of the plans also include a park and a housing estate. According to the website, the iconic aged terminal will be renovated and converted into a new campus for a local University.
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