This is how angry passengers react to activists

Climate activists of the “last generation” brought air traffic to a brief standstill at BER – the passengers are angry.

For an older couple from Swabia, the case is clear: “Absolute dirt pack,” snaps the man. “Hopefully they’ll be punished severely. Even if they pull them off the runway.” And she agrees: “I said in the travel agency: ‘I hope none of the idiots get stuck.'” They’ve been on the road all day to fly on annual leave. “Finally,” he says, “it’s starting – we thought.”

Passengers stand in front of display boards at BER Airport. (Source: Carsten Koall)

“Patience is failing”

Dennis, a young Berliner, has more understanding, “even if, of course, patience dwindles the moment it affects you.” He hasn’t seen his girlfriend, who lives in London, for a month. “I’m very careful to travel as environmentally friendly as possible: taking the train instead of driving, if that’s the case weather allows, then I’ll take the bike.” But he was looking forward to this flight. “We took extra time off together. I understand and share the goals. But I also have to be honest: this insecurity that I have now is not nice.”

When getting out, a man says to himself: “Every country gets the protest it deserves.” Todd, who actually wants to fly back to London after a short vacation with a friend, is also annoyed: “You destroyed our plans. If that was the goal, it worked.”

Almost nobody knows what happened

Arriving at Terminal 1: The atmosphere is strangely normal for an airport that has just been shut down for a good hour. It quickly becomes clear that this is also due to the fact that almost nobody knows what is actually going on. “There are some sticking to the train?” asks a taxi driver, aghast. “I had already asked myself why no one has come out of here for a long time.” Two Austrians sprint past, and when asked, call out: “No one will tell us if our flight is cancelled!” And gone they are. “It’s the same as always,” says the taxi driver.

The lack of information is particularly evident in the arrivals area. “My mother was supposed to land from Istanbul at 5:20 p.m.,” says one man. He points to the information board: “She’s said to have been there for a long time, but nobody has come out here for ages. And we don’t find out anything.” He had to move his car four times because: “Parking is expensive in Berlin.”

Jake and Rachel are waiting at BER for their flight to Manchester.
Jake and Rachel are waiting at BER for their flight to Manchester. (Source: Julian Seiferth)

Full, British and relaxed

It’s busier at Terminal 2, more British – and very, very, very relaxed. “We’re there early anyway,” says Jake, who wants to go back to England that evening with his wife Rachel. “There are rumors that it will be a little later, but we have time. Our car is in Manchester at the airport.”

Jay and Kerri pass the - probably longer - waiting time playing cards.
Jay and Kerri pass the – probably longer – waiting time playing cards. (Source: Julian Seiferth)

The pair’s attitude seems to be common among those gravitating to Manchester here. A group of young women makes video calls, and there is a lot of loud laughter. Jay (25) and Kerri (29) pass the time with a deck of cards.

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