Summary:
Berlin´s 3 airports will soon be amalgamated into one and this 500 word article explains the reason for the changes and the time scale for them.

Details or Sample:
For many years Berlin has been served by three separate airports, but with increased passenger numbers, and a rising volume of air traffic, the Berlin authorities have had to take some unpopular decisions to address these important issues.

The main cause for protest has been the resolution to close the Tempelhof airport near the centre of the city. This location has proved difficult for many years and although the airport does not account for a vast amount of air traffic now, there are safety and accessibility issues associated with such a central position.

But Tempelhof is etched into Berliners hearts. Opened in 1928, and the third largest building complex in the world, this gargantuan relic of pre-war Germany will be forever associated with one of Berlin´s darkest hours, which in turn, made it the site of one of the greatest humanitarian operations of the the modern age.

Tempelhof was the scene of unprecedented activity in June 1948 when the Soviet Union imposed a complete land and sea blockade of Berlin in an attempt to force the Allied Forces of Britain and the USA to leave West Berlin - in effect handing over the whole of Berlin to Soviet rule. Some 2 million people faced unparalleled fuel and food shortages,and an emergency airlift was put into operation which would continue until the spring of 1949, by which time over 2 million tons of supplies had been flown in. In little more than eleven months 277,000 flights came into Tempelhof, often touching down at three minute intervals. Later,transformed into an international airport, its golden age was in the 1950´s and 60´s with US airlines bringing in a host of celebrities from across the Atlantic, the most famous of which being President Kennedy, who flew into Tempelhof in June 1963 prior to his state visit and his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech.

It is because of these historic connections that Berliners, particularly those who lived through the airlift days, have fought to keep the airport open. It has been a losing battle. Tempelhof is scheduled to close in October 2008, but it´s hoped that the buildings will be preserved as a monument to those dark post-war days, with possibly a permanent exhibition mounted in one of the many monolithic buildings that are still a showcase of Art Deco architecture.

Tegel International,was Berlin´s main airport but it too............

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Written by: Libera
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Words: 500