I GERMAN REGION I BERLIN
I GERMAN REGION I BERLIN BRANDENBURG I WE ALMOST DOUBLED OUR TRAFFIC FROM 2021 TO 2022 WITH 19.9 MILLION PASSENGERS Aletta von Massenbach CEO, BER Airport Berlin Brandenburg International focuses on frequencies Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) is the official Airport Partner of ITB Berlin 2023. An opportunity for ITB Berlin News to talk to Aletta von Massenbach, CEO BER Airport. How has BER Airport performed in 2022 and what are your forecasts for this year? After two years affected by Covid19, we recovered in 2022. Although the beginning of the year was still marked by the Omicron variant, we decided to open Terminal 2 in March 2022 to increase our capacity. It was in fact the right decision as travel restrictions were lifted and traffic picked up rapidly. We almost doubled our traffic from 2021 to 2022 with 19.85 million passengers. We expect further growth in 2023. Could you tell more about new destinations this year? In 2023, BER focus will be on more frequencies. We offered last summer 127 destinations but this year, passengers can reach 140 cities non-stop with more flights. We also welcome new routes, the most exciting being a nonstop flight to Washington DC by United Airlines. How is demand best served ? Our goal is to strengthen pointto-point connections. The German capital region is a very popular destination for tourism and needs more direct flights for convenience. This summer will then witness increased direct connections to major European airports. To the United States, three airlines fly non-stop to New York and one to Washington. What are some of the latest innovations put in place at BER Airport? Last year, we were the first airport in Europe to launch "BER Runway", a booking system providing an appointment for security checks. To shorten waiting times, we increased the number of bagdrop machines and the total of self-service check-in kiosks to around 120. These measures helped maintaining a stable quality of service. Our latest initiative is called “Sunflower” to support guests with disabilities. It helps airport staff identifying which travellers need assistance. We missed ITB Berlin and all its visitors. The excitement to meet again demonstrates that, no matter how convenient video calls are, this is no replacement for face-to-face contacts. We at BER Airport know the importance of ITB Berlin for the industry. This is the reason why we teamed up as the Official Airport Partner and welcome every guest on „booth 303a“ in „hub27“ hub27 / Stand 303a NEW HOTEL OPENING AT BER In January, the BER Airport has a brand new hotel: the 3-star IntercityHotel Berlin Airport BER has opened its doors, offering guests 360 rooms, 5 meeting and conference rooms, a sauna and fitness area, as well as a restaurant and hotel bar. Terminals 1 and 2 at BER Airport are within walking distance. Additional self check-in kiosks were added in 2022 to speed up procedures at BER How important is BER Airport's physical presence at ITB 2023? 28 ITB BERLIN NEWS • TUESDAY 28 TH FEBRUARY 2023 www.itb-berlin-news.com
© Emilio Del Prado WHERE TO GO IN BERLIN Berlin remains one of the most exciting destinations for foodies. The city may be described as a laboratory for the latest trends, cuisines and concepts. Take a culinary trip through Berlin's restaurants.... Kumpel & Keule Is it possible to give a sophisticated touch to typical German dishes generally described as comfort food? The restaurant Kumpel & Keule ("Buddy & Drumstick") has indeed redefined the way German food is viewed with tasty dishes and excellent meats. From dry-aged burgers to tartars from pasture-raised beef, from 24-hour braised ox cheek to secreto from acorn-fed pork. All the dishes are regionally sourced. Skalitzer Str. 97, 10997 Berlin www.kumpelundkeule.de/speisewirtschaft ADVERTORIAL Try l'Entrecôte, a typical French restaurant in the heart of Berlin... "C'est bon". Don't be surprised to hear some French expressions at Entrecôte, a restaurant and brasserie in the heart of Berlin that captures the essence of Paris. Many guests - including numerous French visitors - say that there is definitely a Parisian touch at Entrecôte. L'esprit brasserie, this attitude to life that characterises so much the French capital and of which so many poets, literary figures and artists have raved, is alive here. As their owners promise : we bring the spirit without ever copying it. Look at the menu and plunge into the savours and delights of a wide range of typical French cuisine. As a starter, choose between Escargots (snails), Foie Gras or huitres Fines de Claires (oysters). Follow with an onion soup with grated cheese, the famed beef entrecôte or the angus tenderloin, half a lobster or a salmon steak, a sole “Miller‘s Style", the Coq au Vin (chicken stewed in red wine), a Duck confit or scallops in a creamy sauce. These are the kind of typical dishes that can only be found in brasseries. At the same time, the Entrecôte restaurant has preserved its originality and refrained from copying a Paris interior in any way. There is neither fake art deco nor a touch of plushy "overthe-top" style here. This is truly Berlin with a modern, elegant but very cosy interior. This does not detract from the attitude to life. On the contrary: it makes the entrecôte seem so real. L'Entrecôte cultivates l'esprit brasserie of Paris in the heart of Berlin. The best of both world cities... Schützenstraße 5, 10117 Berlin Tel: +49 30 20165496 - entrecote.de "Sphere" revolving restaurant Looking for a restaurant combining history, refined cuisine and a 360° panoramic view of the German capital? Try Sphere, the revolving restaurant of Berlin Fernsehturm, the iconic TV tower opened in 1969 as part of the celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the former German Democratic Republic. The culinary journey combines 50 years of history, the most fantastic 360° panoramic view at 207 m without leaving its table as the restaurant completes a full tour in one hour. Reservation is advised to enter the TV Tower and access the restaurant. Panorama straße 1A, Alexanderplatz, Berliner TV Tower tv-turm.de/en/ Hasir Restaurant Difficult to be in Berlin without trying one of Berlin's most popular cuisine: the Turkish one! Hasir restaurant with its six different locations has turned into the reference name for Turkish delicacies and an excellent service in Berlin. Hasir has been in Berlin since 1970 with its first outlet in Kreuzberg. Hasir is deeply rooted in the Aygün family's passion. Hasir restaurants is particularly well-known for its abundance of Turkish grilled specialties -including an incredible doner kebab-, homemade mezze and delicious desserts. Nürnbergerstraße 46- Hasir Ocakbasi, Oranienstraße.177/Corner of Adalberstraße. www.hasir.de
