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How Berlin's Futuristic Airport Became A $6 Billion Embarrassment - Bloomberg
How Berlin's Futuristic Airport Became A $6 Billion Embarrassment - Bloomberg
HowBerlinsFuturisticAirport
Becamea$6Billion
Embarrassment
InsideGermanysprofligate
(Greeklike!)fiascocalled
BerlinBrandenburg
July23,2015
JoshuaHammer
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Photographer:EriverHijanoforBloombergBusinessweek
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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.
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Photographer:EriverHijanoforBloombergBusinessweek
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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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AccordingtoBorisHermel,aTVandradiocorrespondentwhohas
coveredtheairportsagafromthebeginning,andothersources,Wowereit
andSchwarzfellhardforanairplane:theAirbusA380,thedouble
decker,widebody,fourenginejetlinercapableofseating853people.
WhilenoairlineindicateditwantedtoflythismonstrositytoBerlin,the
mencalledforthewallsatoneendoftheterminaltoberippedoutso
thatanextrawidegatecouldbebuilttoaccommodateit.Theclients
weretrippingovereachotherwithrequestsforchanges,vonGerkan
latersaid.
Germanyspends16millionamonthjusttomaintaintheunfinished
facility.
Photographer:EriverHijanoforBloombergBusinessweek
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
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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.
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Photographer:EriverHijanoforBloombergBusinessweek
efoundhas
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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
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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
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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.
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Photographer:EriverHijanoforBloombergBusinessweek
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