Repayment of debts
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BER Airport, which opened a year ago, urgently needs the next financial injection to avert bankruptcy. “We need money fast, we need cash,” said the new boss Aletta von Massenbach the Berliner “Daily mirror” [Bezahlschranke]. According to this, the liquidity of the Berlin, Brandenburg and Federal Airport Company (FBB) will last “until the first quarter of 2022”.
However, FBB had to “make a large payment for debt servicing” in mid-February, said von Massenbach. “We cannot do the debt service ourselves for a long time.”
“The fact that we still need so much money for BER is extremely bitter”
FBB therefore needs from its three owners by 2026 another 2.4 billion euros. “The fact that we still need so much money for BER is extremely bitter,” said von Massenbach, who has been head of FBB since October 1st. There is no plan B. One could, of course, decline the scope for action. “BER is ready, you can run it and earn money. Or it just costs.”
Von Massenbach also assured that consequences were drawn from the autumn holiday chaos at BER. “I guarantee we’ll do everything we can to make it run as smoothly as possible,” she said. “I cannot guarantee that it will always work perfectly.”
The acting Federal Minister of Transport Andreas Scheuer (CSU) meanwhile continued the management of the airport because of the Fall vacation debacle under pressure. According to information from “Welt am Sonntag” from ministry circles, Scheuer is demanding a written report on the breakdowns from BER boss von Massenbach and has set the management a deadline of November 5th.
Federal government calls for an opinion on problems at BER
During the autumn holidays, there were extremely long waiting times due to a lack of staff. But there are numerous other problems with the airport, which opened a year ago. Reports include overflowing garbage cans, broken floor tiles, frequently dirty toilets and defective escalators and elevators. There is also a dispute over the number of taxis that are allowed to drive to the airport from Berlin and Brandenburg.
According to the newspaper, the management should comment on all these points by the end of next week and suggest solutions. A conversation between Scheuer and the BER boss is also planned afterwards. The federal government is co-owner of the airport along with the states of Berlin and Brandenburg.
Broadcast: Inforadio, 10/30/2021, 8:00 a.m.