Gazing up at the sky above the VORTAC one might ponder about aviation history. Berlin’s air traffic history began in 1891. Otto Lilienthal experimented with flight at Mühlenberg near Derwitz. This region has always met aviation’s challenges. The first hub arose in the golden twenties. Then came the airlift during the Berlin blockade. Tegel Airport became a link to the free world.
The VORTAC has historical significance. Tempelhof closed in 2008. Tegel Airport closed when BER opened in November 2020. Many Berliners feel nostalgic about Tegel. It was West Berlin’s gateway to freedom. Berlin-Schönefeld Airport was East Germany’s central airport. Low-cost airlines made it boom.
Germany is a key player in commercial aviation. Airbus has a major manufacturing center in Hamburg. Germany’s aviation market is large. Lufthansa, Eurowings and Condor are some of the giants. Frankfurt International is Germany’s largest airport. In 2019, 70 million passengers passed through it. Frankfurt serves as Lufthansa’s primary hub. Other airlines like Condor and TUIfly also use it as a base. Munich Airport is the second-largest entry point. In 2019, 48 million passengers were transferred. Lufthansa and Eurowings also have a base here.
Berlin-Brandenburg Airport is third on the list. Since opening in 2020, it has transported over 30 million passengers. It was meant to be Berlin’s main entry point. However, no traditional airline has based itself there. Why does Berlin lack a well-established airline? It has a population of over 3.6 million. The new airport cost 6.5 billion euros.
In the early 20th century, Berlin built its first large airport. Berlin-Tempelhof Airport opened in 1923. It gained prominence in Europe. Deutsche Luft Hansa used it. This airline later became Lufthansa. It had a limited European network. During World War II, civilian operations stopped. The airport was not converted into a military base. Instead, Luftwaffe flights moved to Rangsdorf.
After the war, Berlin was divided. Berlin-Tempelhof remained under US control. It was vital during the Berlin Airlift in 1948. Douglas C-47s and C-54s delivered supplies. The Soviet Union closed borders. The Soviets needed their own airport. In 1945, they occupied the Schönefeld aircraft plant. Construction began on Berlin-Schönefeld. It was independent of Tempelhof.
For decades, Berlin had two major airports. The Soviet Union established Interflug at Schönefeld. West Germany did not reinstate Lufthansa in Berlin. Tempelhof became a hub for Pan American Airways.
In 1948, the US built Berlin-Tegel Airport. It had the world’s longest runway. It opened on November 5, 1948. As air travel advanced, Berlin-Tempelhof became inadequate. Larger jets could not be accommodated. Expansion was impossible.
In 1960, Air France landed at Berlin-Tegel Airport. This began the transition for airlines. Air France, PanAm and BEA moved their operations. They used modern facilities and long runways. The city government did not establish a national carrier. West Berlin was under US, French and UK control. Air travel was catered to by US, French and British airlines.
Lufthansa was not allowed to operate flights to Tegel. After German reunification in 1990, Lufthansa could fly into Tegel. By then, Lufthansa had grown significantly in Frankfurt. Following World War II, the Soviet Union developed Berlin-Schönefeld. East Germany founded Interflug.
The VORTAC stands as a silent witness. It reminds us of Berlin’s complex aviation history. It reflects the city’s divisions and innovations.