Otherwise cessation of operations: BER operators must have pushed for financial aid

The corona crisis has hit the travel industry extremely, including airport operators. For the Berlin-Brandenburg Airport Company, it is obviously clear: it will only continue if the federal and state governments provide financial aid. Those responsible make this abundantly clear.

Due to the effects of the corona crisis, the operators of the capital city airport BER threatened to cease flight operations according to a media report in September if the federal government and the states of Berlin and Brandenburg do not provide further financial aid at short notice. The loss of revenue due to the pandemic-related decline in passengers could "not be overcome without support measures," said a letter from the management of the Berlin-Brandenburg Airport Company (FBB) to the Berlin Senate Department for Finance, which is available to the "Handelsblatt".

"Without the loan, the FBB would have to cease flight operations," the newspaper quoted further from the letter signed by FBB boss Engelbert Lütke Daldrup and the new FBB financial manager Aletta von Massenbach on September 25, 2020. According to the Handelsblatt, FBB's financial requirements for this year are 300 million euros. In its September letter, FBB applied for a total of 201.2 million euros as a loan. The money was transferred this week. The remainder of the sum – 98.8 million euros – had already been transferred by the shareholders as a grant in October.

However, the state support only secures the financing of the airport company for the year 2020. "FBB will still be dependent on help in the following years", the Berlin Senate Department for Finance informed the Handelsblatt on request. Due to the "dynamic situation" in view of the corona pandemic, forecasts are difficult at the current time. Nevertheless, according to the Senate Department, Berlin is already assuming that there will be further aid measures for the BER operators in 2021.

The BER was officially opened on October 31st. The airport was originally due to open in 2011. Due to numerous mishaps, the opening was postponed further and further.

. (tagsToTranslate) Economy (t) Otherwise (t) Hiring (t) Operating (t) BER operator (t) Financial aid