Next to yesterday’s German federal elections the citizens of Berlin could vote in a Berlin Tegel referendum. A 57% majority of Berliners voted to keep Tegel airport open, even after the construction of Berlin Brandenburg Airport has been completed (in 2019).
The city’s government campaigned for a closure of Berlin Tegel airport, they backed the idea to build a business and technology park next to affordable flats on the Berlin Tegel site.
The reason why so many citizens voted against may sound reasonable: the brand new airport supposed to start operations eight years ago but due to mismanagement and construction issues the opening has been delayed numerous times. Officials announced the opening in 2019, yet an opening date has yet to be pinned.
Berlin Tegel was build in 1970 and desperately needs a face-lift, a renovation might cost up to 1 billion Euros.
