Berlin Brandenburg Airport chief executive Aletta von Massenbach has described BER as technically ready to operate as a hub, while arguing that the airport’s growth prospects lie in point-to-point traffic. In an interview in Berlin, she said the airport has the infrastructure to support hub operations, but only an airline choosing to use it that way could turn that into reality.
Von Massenbach put BER’s current traffic mix at about 70% point-to-point and framed that model as the airport’s strongest commercial opportunity. She pointed to the need for fast turnaround times, reliable operations and competitive charges to attract carriers, while BER continues to focus on connectivity, operational performance and the search for new destinations. The airport is working with both low-cost and full-service airlines, but its strategic emphasis remains on direct traffic rather than transfer flows.
The comments come against a difficult long-haul backdrop. BER’s intercontinental connectivity remains limited, and Ryanair closed its Berlin base in April over high costs, trimming capacity from the airport. A third terminal is being considered for the longer term, although that remains distant. The positioning leaves BER competing less with classic hub airports such as Frankfurt and Munich and more with other origin-and-destination airports on cost, speed and reliability.