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New capital city airport BER: A historically unique opportunity was given away.
Photo: Soeren Stache / picture alliance / dpa
Well really.
BER Airport will open on Saturday after thirty years in advance.
Hopefully, one should say, in view of all the surprises this building has caused so far, the failure of the authorities, the organized irresponsibility of the politicians.
The list of defects seems to have been processed, thousands of extras have rehearsed the processes, the luggage belts are running, the smoke extraction system is working.
Nevertheless, hardly anyone should feel like celebrating - the fact that the airport will open at the historic moment when hardly any aircraft flies is, however, the fitting punchline to the breakdown history of its construction.
Those in charge may hope that when the airlines fly again one day, BER will fare the same as the Elbphilharmonie, where today nobody complains about the scandalous history of its creation and everyone is proud of this landmark that has the reputation of Hamburg in the world is increasing.
In the case of BER, it will probably not turn out that way.
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