How Berlin's Futuristic Airport Became A $6 Billion Embarrassment - Bloomberg

2/5/2017 HowBerlinsFuturisticAirportBecamea$6BillionEmbarrassmentBloomberg
HowBerlinsFuturisticAirport
Becamea$6Billion
Embarrassment
InsideGermanysprofligate
(Greeklike!)fiascocalled
BerlinBrandenburg
July23,2015
JoshuaHammer
SubscribeReprints
Photographer:EriverHijanoforBloombergBusinessweek
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/20150723/howberlinsfuturisticairportbecamea6billionembarrassment 1/17
Theinspectorscouldhardlybelievewhattheywereseeing.Summoned
fromtheirheadquartersnearMunich,theteamoflogistics,safety,and
aviationexpertshadarrivedatnewlyconstructedBerlinBrandenburg
InternationalWillyBrandtAirportinthefallof2011tobeginalengthy
seriesofchecksandapprovalsforthe600million($656million)
terminalontheoutskirtsoftheGermancapital.Expectedtoopenthe
followingJune,theairport,billedasEuropesmostmodern,was
intendedtohandle27millionpassengersayearandcrownBerlinasthe
continents21stcenturycrossroads.
Theteamofinspectors,knownasORAT,forOperationsReadinessand
AirportTransfer,broughtinadummyplaneandvolunteersastest
passengers.Theyexaminedeverythingfrombaggagecarouselsand
securitygatestothefireprotectionsystem.Thelastwasanespecially
highpriority:Nonecouldforgetthe1996firethatroaredthrough
DsseldorfAirportspassengerterminal,killing17.
Whentheysimulatedafire,though,thesystemwenthaywire.Some
alarmsfailedtoactivate.Othersindicatedafire,butinthewrongpartof
theterminal.Theexplanationwasburiedinthe55miletangleofwiring
thathadbeenlaid,hastily,beneaththefloorsofthebuildingwhere
ORATtechnicianssoondiscoveredhighvoltagepowerlinesalongside
dataandheatingcablesafirehazardinitsownright.Thatwasntall.
Smokeevacuationcanalsdesignedtosuckoutsmokeandreplaceitwith
freshairfailedtodoeither.Inanactualfire,theinspectorsdetermined,
themainsmokeventmightwellimplode.
Confrontedwiththefiresystemfiasco,RainerSchwarz,chiefexecutive
officerofFlughafenBerlinBrandenburg(FBB),theairportcompany
ownedbythecityofBerlin,thestateofBrandenburg,andthefederal
government,downplayedit.Schwarzandhisstafftoldtheairports
boardofoversight,aswellasStephanLoge,thecommissionerof
DahmeSpreewaldCounty,whohadthefinalauthoritytoissuethe
airportanoperatinglicense,thattheywereworkingthroughsomeissues,
butthatthesituationwasundercontrol.Schwarzalsoappointedan
emergencytaskforcetoproposesolutionsthatwouldallowtheairportto
openontime.InMarch2012thegroupsubmitteditsstopgap:Eight
hundredlowpaidworkersarmedwithcellphoneswouldtakeup
positionsthroughouttheterminal.Ifanyonesmelledsmokeorsawafire,
hewouldalerttheairportfirestationanddirectpassengerstowardthe
exits.Nevermindthattheregionscellphonenetworkswerenotoriously
unreliable,orthatsomestudentswouldbestationednearthesmoke
evacuationchannels,whereinafiretemperaturescouldreach1,000F.
Itwas,saysMartinDelius,anidioticplan.Deliusisaphysicistand
memberofBerlinsparliamentwhohasconductedanextensive
investigationoftheairportstroubledinfrastructure.Theythoughtthat
thiswouldatleasteliminatetheneedforwiring,hesays,because[the
spotters]couldseewiththeirowneyesifthereisamassofsmokelower
than6feetabovetheground.
Photographer:MichaelSohn/APPhoto
Schwarzcontinuedtopreparefortheopening,andtheGermanpublic
remainedoblivious.ByApril2012,airportfeverwasconsumingBerlin.
MayorKlausWowereitsentout3,000invitationsfortheHoffest,the
annualmayoralballatthe19thcenturyCityHall,printingtheentry
ticketsonmockboardingcards.Billboardswentup,showinga
photomontageoftheairportsnamesakeandfamousColdWarleader
embracingpassengers,withthelegend,WillyBrandtgreetstheworld!
Preparationscontinuedforanextravagantinaugural.AngelaMerkel,the
chancellor,wastodisembarkfromagovernmentjetandstrolldowna
redcarpettotheglasswalledterminal,whichwouldhavebeenfilled
withexpensivefoodanddrink.OnthenightofJune2,inastuntlike
mobilization,thousandsofworkerswouldshuttle600truckloadsof
equipmentandafleetof60tonaircrafttugs19milesdownasealedoff
expresswayfromBerlinTegel,Berlinsmainairport,inthenorthwest
cornerofthecity,andTegelwouldshutdownforeverthesamedaythe
newairportcameonline.
ButinthetownofLbben,inwhatusedtobeEastGermany,
CommissionerLogehadhisdoubts.Heandhisownstaffofbuilding
inspectorshadspentmanyhoursexaminingthefireprotectionsystemat
theTropicalIslandsResort,anindoorparadisesetinaformerairship
hangarinBrandenburg.Oneoftheworldslargestfreestanding
structures,itdrawsupto6,000warmthandbeachdeprivedGermansa
day.ItwasfarmorecomplicatedthantheoneatBerlinBrandenburg
airport,anditworked,Logesays.
OnMay7,lessthanfourweeksbeforethescheduledopening,Logemet
withSchwarzforthefirsttime.Theairport,Schwarzconceded,would
havetoopenusingthearmyofhumanfiredetectors.
Professor,letmeunderstandthis,Logesaid.Youaretalkingabout
having800peoplewearingorangevests,sittingoncampingstools,
holdingthermosesfilledwithcoffee,andshoutingintotheircellphones,
Openthefiredoor?Logerefusedtheairportanoperatinglicense.
Schwarzstoodupandwalkedoutwithoutanotherword.
Thenextday,inahallpackedwithgovernmentofficialsandjournalists,
Schwarzsatgrimlybehindatablewithfourotherofficials,including
MayorWowereit,andannouncedtheunthinkable:Theairportwouldnt
openasscheduled.TheinauguralbashandovernightmovefromTegel
werescuttled.
Itwasmerelyapreludetoadebaclethatisstillunfolding.Threeyears
later,BerlinBrandenburghaswreckedcareersandjoinedtwoother
bloatedprojectsStuttgart21,ayearslaterailwaystation2billion
overbudget,andan865millionconcerthallinHamburgintarnishing
Germanysreputationfororder,efficiency,andengineeringmastery.
AttheverymomentMerkelandheralliesarehectoringtheGreeksabout
theirprofligacy,theairportscost,bornebytaxpayers,hastripledto5.4
billion.Twoairportcompanydirectors(includingSchwarz),three
technicalchiefs,thearchitects,anddozensifnothundredsofothershave
beenfiredorforcedtoquit,orhaveleftindisgust.Thegovernment
spends16millionpermonthjusttopreventthehugefacilityfrom
fallingintodisrepair.Accordingtothemostoptimisticscenarios,itwont
checkinitsfirstpassengersuntil2017,andsunnypronouncementshave
longsincegivenwaytocatastrophe,farce,andthebuildingsiteof
horror.ThereisanotedGermanwordforthedelightsometookinthe
mess,too.
BreakinggroundinSeptember2006.
Photographer:GunterWicker/BerlinBrandenburgAirport
Inthebeginning,BerlinBrandenburgairportwasatbestaneconomically
unnecessarysymbolofunityandgrowth.InOctober1990,when
politiciansandplannersbeganasearchforwaysofbridgingthecitys
longEastWestdivide,Berlinhadthreemodestsizeairports:Tempelhof,
famedasthesiteofthe1948BerlinAirliftSchnefeld,openedin1946,
whichlaterbecamethemainairportservingCommunistEastGermany
andTegel,agemofefficiencythatopenedin1948.By1995about12
millionpeopleflewinandoutofthecityeachyear.Afteryearsof
languishingasaColdWarbackwater,Berlinwasontherise.By2020,
passengertotalswereprojectedtoreach22million.
In2001,Wowereitsensedanopportunity.Agrayhairedextrovertwho
bearsacertainresemblancetotheactorAlecBaldwin,Wowi,ashes
known,hadearnedareputationasbothapartyanimalandarainmaker.
Heattractedfreespiritedeventstothecity,suchasaninternationalS&M
fetishstreetparty,andproudlyproclaimed,Imgay,andthatsagood
thing.IsGermanyReadyforaGayChancellor?DerSpiegelasked
aftertheSocialDemocratslandslidereelectionin2006.TheBerlin
BrandenburgWillyBrandtAirportwastobehislegacyinthecity,while
possiblypavingthewayfornationaloffice.(Wowereitdeclinedtobe
interviewedforthisarticle.)
Todesigntheairport,FBBlandedMeinhardvonGerkan,Germanys
mostfamousarchitect,aseptuagenarianwithamaneofwhitehairwhod
madehisnameatage30withtheTegelAirport.Thefoundingpartnerof
HamburgbasedfirmvonGerkan,Marg,&Partners,hesknownto
squabblepubliclywithprojectmanagerswhenhefeelsthathisartistic
visionhasbeencompromised.
ThethirdkeyplayerwasSchwarz,whowasappointedCEOofthe
airportmanagementcompanyin2006.AU.S.trainedeconomistwhod
runDsseldorfAirport,Schwarzhadareputationasacostcutting
technocratjustthemanforthejob.Afterconsideringahalfdozen
sites,includingaformerRussianarmybase,theairportmanagement
teamfromFBBbrokegroundin2006onavastplotjustacoupleof
milesfromtheexistingrunwaysatSchnefeld.
TheprojectsfirstcomplicationsstemmedfromSchwarzandWowereits
everchangingambitions.Withconstructionunderway,Schwarz,seizing
onincreasingforecastsforairtraffic(upto27millionpassengersatthat
point),hadvonGerkanaddnorthandsouthpierstothemainterminal,
turningitfromarectangleintoaUanddramaticallyenlargingthe
floorspace.SchwarzalsodreamedofmakingtheairportaDubailike
luxurymall.Airportsearnsignificantmoneyfromnonaviation
businesses,theFBBbossnoted,sowhynotinsertasecondlevel,
jammedwithshops,boutiques,andfoodcourts?VonGerkanderided
whathecalledtheVermallungoftheairportitsmallificationbuthe
capitulatedtoSchwarzsdemands.
AccordingtoBorisHermel,aTVandradiocorrespondentwhohas
coveredtheairportsagafromthebeginning,andothersources,Wowereit
andSchwarzfellhardforanairplane:theAirbusA380,thedouble
decker,widebody,fourenginejetlinercapableofseating853people.
WhilenoairlineindicateditwantedtoflythismonstrositytoBerlin,the
mencalledforthewallsatoneendoftheterminaltoberippedoutso
thatanextrawidegatecouldbebuilttoaccommodateit.Theclients
weretrippingovereachotherwithrequestsforchanges,vonGerkan
latersaid.
Germanyspends16millionamonthjusttomaintaintheunfinished
facility.
Inhisinvestigation,DeliusexaminedtensofthousandsofinternalFBB
emails.Thepeopleresponsiblefortechnicaloversightweresaying,
Wecannotdothiswithinthisamountoftime,andSchwarzwould
answer,Idontcare,hesays.
Thearchitectureandengineeringteamsfoughttokeepup.Asthe
terminalballoonedfrom200,000to340,000squaremeters(dwarfing
Frankfurts240,000andjustshyofHeathrowTerminal5s353,000),
theyparceledouttheworktosevencontractors.Thatsoongrewto35,
andtheybroughtinhundredsofsubcontractors,saysDelius.Several
engineeringandelectronicscompanies,ledbytheGermangiants
SiemensandBosch,struggledtoretaincontroloverthecomplexfire
protectionsystemthatincluded3,000firedoors,65,000sprinklers,
thousandsofsmokedetectors,alabyrinthofsmokeevacuationducts,
andtheequivalentof55milesofcables.
Ourpart,thedetectionofhotairorsmoke...isfunctioning,saysThilo
Resenhoeft,aBoschspokesman.Theresponsibilityforthedysfunction
lieswithsomebodyelse.SiemensspokesmanOliverSantenconfirms
thatthecompanywasoriginallyresponsibleforbuildingtheautomated
fireprotectionfacilityandthecontrolunitforfreshaircirculation.
Testingin2013showedtheneedforreworkingpartofthesystem,he
says.Santendeclinestoattributeresponsibilityotherthantosaythat
Siemensisresponsibleforthereconstructionofthefreshaircirculation
system.
EachadditionorderedupbySchwarzrequiredshiftingpassengerflows
throughtheterminal.Thatmeantrebuildingwalls,exits,emergency
lights,ventilationsystems,windows,elevators,andstaircases.Atone
point,in2009,outsidecontrollersurgedSchwarzandhisengineering
chieftoshutdownconstructionforhalfayeartogivethearchitectsand
contractorstimetocoordinateefforts.Schwarz,Deliussays,ignored
them.JustmonthsbeforethescheduledJune2012opening,theterminal
wasamess.Carelessworkerssteppedonandshatteredglassbeing
installedbyothercompanies.Heavyequipmentrolledacrossthe
terminalfloor,scratchingexpensivetiles.Tempersflaredsmall
contractorscomplainedtheywerentgettingpaidandthreatenedtowalk
offthejob.
efoundhas
at they v
defects th
mberof 0
Thenu grownt o 1 50 ,0 0
FollowingthehumiliatingannouncementinMay2012thatthegrand
openingwasoff,thetheateroftheabsurdescalatedasexecutives,board
members,andcontractorsturnedononeanother.Schwarzpresentedthe
boardwithalistofaccusationsagainstvonGerkanandhisfirm,
chargingthatthearchitectshadmisledmanagementwithoveroptimistic
reportsontheirprogress.Thearchitectswerefired,alongwithdozensof
otherkeyplanners,slowingtheprojectfurther.Schwarzlostalltheir
knowhow,saysHermel,theradiojournalist.Theywerebackat
SquareOne.
VonGerkanshotback.Ina2013tellallbook,BlackBoxBER,he
accusedSchwarzofresistingallattemptsatdialogue.Schwarzhadno
concept,onlyinsatiabledemands,vonGerkanwrote,andlivedinside
afairytale.Thatsameyear,afteritbecameclearthatWowereits
repeatedpredictionsofanimminentopeningwereunrealistic,themayor
steppeddownaschairmanoftheboardofoversight.(Helaterresigned
asmayor.)SchwarzwasfireddaysafterWowereitlefttheboardof
oversight.Hesuedforwrongfultermination,andinlate2014aBerlin
courtorderedtheairportownerstopaySchwarz1.14millionin
damagesforhisdismissal,sayingtheboardofoversightshared
responsibilityforthefiasco.InanemailtoBloombergBusinessweek,
Schwarzsaidhefeltvindicatedbythecourtsdecision,concluding,
Thereisnothingtoadd.
InthetwoyearssinceSchwarzandWowereitsdualexit,theownersof
theairporthavereshuffledtheboardofoversightandburnedthrough
anothermanagementteam.Schwarzssuccessor,ashort,stockyofficial
namedHartmutMehdorn,72,isaclosefriendofformerGerman
ChancellorGerhardSchrder.WhileheadofDeutscheBahn,the
Germannationalrailway,Mehdornsupervisedtheconstructionof
BerlinsHauptbahnhof,thecentraltrainstation,inacontentious
collaborationwithvonGerkan.HauptbahnhofisconsideredaGerman
triumph:IfallAmericanscouldcompareBerlinsluxuriouscentraltrain
stationtodaywiththegrimy,decrepitPennStationinNewYorkCity,
ThomasFriedmanwroteintheNewYorkTimesin2008,theywould
swearweweretheoneswholostWorldWarII.
MehdorncameintotheBerlinBrandenburgjobdeterminedtoturnit
around.Heisawhirlwind,saysAxelVogeloftheGreenParty.Aftera
yearofparalysisonthebuildingsite,oneofMehdornsearlymoveswas
toturnonthefountaininfrontofthedesertedterminaltosignalthathe
wouldgetthingsdone.Butalmostasamockingcounterpoint,thelights
intheterminalcouldntbeturnedoffbecauseofacomputerglitchno
onecouldfix,andtheelectricitybillsoared.
Mehdornsquabbledwithhisengineeringchiefandantagonizedthe
boardofoversightwithhisillconceivedschemestogettheairportup
andrunning.Atonepointheproposedopeningjustthenorthernpier.A
terribleidea,saysDelius:Itwasnevermeanttobeopenedseparately
fromtherestoftheterminal.Therewerenoluggagecarousels,nocheck
incounters,andtheonlywaytoreachitwouldhavebeentowalkacross
therunway.
ByDecember2014relationsbetweenMehdornandtheboardhadgotten
sobadthattheboardconsideredhiringaheadhuntertofindhis
replacement,accordingtoDeliusandothers.Hearingabouttheplan,
Mehdornquit.Afterhisexit,nobodywantedthejob.Mehdorncouldnot
bereachedforcomment.
InFebruary2015theboardmanagedtolureKarstenMhlenfeld,the
wellregarded51yearoldformerchiefofengineeringatRollsRoyce
Germany.ItalsohiredaformerSiemensmanagerashistechnical
director.Oneofthefirstmovesthetwomadewastoyankoutand
reinstallthemilesofcables.Thentheyturnedtothefireprevention
system.Smokenowchannelsupwardthroughchimneys,inaccordance
withthelawsofphysics.
Theboardsaysconstructionshouldbecompletedbythemiddleof2016,
tobefollowedbyfreshroundsoftestingbyORATcrews.Ifallgoes
accordingtoplan,saysMhlenfeld,theairportshouldbeginoperations
in2017.Berlinersaretryingtoremainpatientastourismisboomingand
growthislimitedbyalackofflights.Thenumberofdefectsthat
theyvefoundhasgrownto150,000,including85,000seriousones,
saysVogel.
OnaSaturdayafternooninJuly,IboardabusintheSchnefeldparking
lotforatwohourpublictourofthedesertedairport.Thetourleader
seemsalmosttorevelintheairportscursedhistory.Theprojecthad
beenadisaster,hesays.Still,theterminalbuildingisimpressive.We
enterthegiantstructureandwalkacrossfloorsoflightgraytile,past
checkincountersmadeofartificialwalnut.Theinfamoussecondlevel
loomsabove,filledwithrestaurantsanddutyfreeshops,alldoneinthe
sametastefulfauxwood.Twinpairsofstainlesssteelchimneysriseout
oftheceiling.Anexpresstrainrumblesintothestationdirectlybeneath
theterminal.Eventually,fourtrainsanhourwillwhiskpassengerstoand
fromcentralBerlinin20minutes.Theterminalhasalight,spacious
feeling,withpanoramicsightlinesreminiscentoftheaestheticsatBerlin
Hauptbahnhof.
Youhavetosaythatitisareallycoolairport,Deliussays.The
architectureisgood.Theconceptisgood.Itisveryeasygoing,easyto
navigate.Itshouldpleasealotofpeopleifitevergetsfinished.
TermsofServiceTrademarksPrivacyPolicy
2017BloombergL.P.AllRightsReserved
CareersMadeinNYCAdvertiseAdChoicesWebsiteFeedbackHelp
VIDEO
FullShow:What'dYou
Miss?(02/03)
AUDIO
OddLots:What
MathematicalModelsof
HerdingCowsCan
TeachUsAbout
LiveTV Schedules+Shows
Updated2daysago
StabilityIs
Goodfor
Business.
Trumps
Whims
ThreatenIt
Subscribe
Netanyahu Snaps Court Howto Fine ASkin

toRaise IPO Denies Designa Reading CareAd
Iranian Filing Trump Perfect for Tackles
Aggression Unveils Requestto Napa Super Social
WithU.Ks $2B Immediately Valley Bowl Taboos
May, Google Restore Getaway Weekend inChina
Johnson Cloud TravelBan Updated2days
ago
Updated17hours
ago
Updated2days
ago
Feb5,2017
Deal Feb5,2017
Cars& View Subscribe
7:27PM
Stocks WithAllDue
Bikes Gadfly Cover
Currencies U.S. Respect
Style& Stories
Commodities Global GlobalRisk
Grooming Opening
Rates+Bonds Startups Briefing
Spend Remarks
Economics Cybersecurity HowWellKnow
Watches& Etc
Magazine DigitalMedia ifTrumpIs
Gadgets Features
Benchmark
Watchlist Bloomberg MakingAmerica Food& 85th

Economic Technology GreatAgain Drinks Anniversary
Calendar TV Tracking Travel Issue
HelloWorld TrumpsWebof RealEstate BehindThe
Studio1.0 Conflicts Art& Cover
TheInauguration Design
ofDonaldJ.
Trump
OntheMarchin
TrumpsCapital
Science+ GraphicsGame Small Personal Inspire TheDavid Sponsored

Energy Plan Business Finance GO RubensteinShow Content

How Berlin's Futuristic Airport Became A $6 Billion Embarrassment - Bloomberg

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

How Berlin's Futuristic Airport Became A $6 Billion Embarrassment - Bloomberg

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

2/5/2017 HowBerlinsFuturisticAirportBecamea$6BillionEmbarrassmentBloomberg

Netanyahu Snaps Court Howto Fine ASkin

Watchlist Bloomberg MakingAmerica Food& 85th

Science+ GraphicsGame Small Personal Inspire TheDavid Sponsored

You might also like