BER, the new airport for Berlin, Germany may have a lonely opening. After waiting for years the opening on October 30 was big deal with invited guests and widespread coverage
Now Corona is threatening the start of the BER airport. Due to the sharp increase in the number of COVID-19 infections, the large airport opening gala of the Schönefeld trade association was canceled on Monday.
The Schönefeld trade association wanted to celebrate the BER opening on October 30th with 750 guests, some of whom were very prominent. In a 7000 square meter exhibition hall at the airport.
Airport boss Engelbert Lütke Daldrup (63) was supposed to give the welcome speech. Schönefeld counted 29 new corona cases within a week. With 17,000 inhabitants, this makes an incidence of 170, similar to the neighboring hotspot Berlin-Neukölln.
In the entire Dahme-Spreewald airport district, the number is still 33.4. From 35 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants, narrow upper limits apply to events, from 50 you can only celebrate in a small circle.
On Tuesday, Brandenburg’s government wants to drastically reduce the number of participants again. Schönefeld’s Mayor Christian Hentschel (55, non-party):
The increase in the number of infections is a result of the city’s close ties with Berlin. No other surrounding community has such a high proportion of commuters.
It is still uncertain whether the BER opening reception on October 31st can take place as planned with 700 guests and journalists.
