Berlin Tegel “Otto Lilienthal” Airport (IATA: TXL, ICAO: EDDT) is the main international airport in Berlin, Germany. It is situated in Tegel, a section of the northern borough of Reinickendorf, 8 km (5.0 mi) northwest of the city centre of Berlin. In 2010, the airport served just over 15 million passengers, making it by far the biggest airport serving Berlin and the fourth busiest airport in Germany.
Tegel Airport is a hub for Air Berlin, and serves as a focus city for Lufthansa. Additionally, it is the most important base for the charter business of Germania. The two dominant operators, Air Berlin and Lufthansa, each handle around 30% of the scheduled commercial flights. Tegel Airport is notable for its hexagonal main terminal building around an open square, which makes for walking distances as short as 30 m (98 ft) from the aircraft to the terminal exit.
The arrival at Tegel of an Air France Lockheed Super Constellation on 2 January 1960 marked the beginning of the airport’s commercial era. It will come to an end with Tegel’s closure to commercial traffic when the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport opens at an unknown date.
BERLIN-TEGEL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HISTORY
The beginnings
The area of today’s airport originally was part of Jungfernheide forest, which served as a hunting ground for the Prussian nobility. During the 19th century, it was used as an artillery firing range. Aviation history dates back to the early 20th century, when the Prussian airship battalion was based there and the area became known as Luftschiffhafen Reinickendorf. In 1906, a hangar was built for testing of Groß-Basenach and Parseval type airships.
Soon after the outbreak of World War I, on 20 August 1914, the area was dedicated to military training of aerial reconnaissance crews. Following the war, all aviation industry was removed as a consequence of the Treaty of Versailles, which prohibited Germany from having any armed aircraft. On 27 September 1930, Rudolf Nebel launched an experimental rocket testing and research facility on the site. It became known as Raketenschießplatz Tegel and attracted a small group of eminent aerospace engineers, which included German rocket pioneer Wernher von Braun. In 1937, the rocket pioneers left Tegel in favour of the secret Peenemünde army research centre.
During World War II, the area served once again as a military training area, mostly for Flak troops. It was destroyed in Allied air raids.
BERLIN-TEGEL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LOCATION
Berlin Tegel “Otto Lilienthal” Airport (IATA: TXL, ICAO: EDDT) is the main international airport in Berlin, Germany.
BERLIN-TEGEL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FACTS
ICAO/IATA: TXL/EDDT
Lat: 52.55970001220703
Long: 13.28769969940186
Elevation: 122 ft.
Runway length available: 08R/26L 7966×151 ft. :: 08L/26R 9918×151 ft.
