Wednesday, March 5
BER night flight ban: Berlin mayor wants changes
At present, flights are banned from arriving or departing at BER Airport between 23:30 and 05:30 – a standard rule in airports near densely populated areas, designed to give residents a break from the endless roar of jet engines while they sleep. But Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) has other ideas. Speaking at the ITB tourism trade fair, he made it clear that he’d much rather give airlines more wiggle room.
Apparently, some airlines are unhappy about having to divert flights when air traffic control refuses them landing permission – even if they’re only a few hours off. Wegner even appeared to want to frame his objections as environmental, arguing that forcing planes to take long detours increases CO₂ emissions.
Unfortunately for Wegner, some see things differently. Berlin’s Economics Minister Franziska Giffey (SPD) remains firmly in favour of the night flight ban, arguing that Berliners have an undeniable right to a peaceful night’s sleep.
Meanwhile, in Brandenburg, the debate is moving in the opposite direction. Not only is there little appetite to roll back the restrictions, but a public referendum has even called for an extended quiet period, banning night-time take-offs and landings from 22:00–06:00.
