Nazi-Era Airport Will Close a Year Later Than Planned

"It is an attempt to create judicial peace," said judge Jürgen Kipp.

Thirteen companies had filed an appeal to keep the airport open arguing they would be disadvantaged by the forced move to the site of the new Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BBI) because of its poor transport connections.

Tempelhof is only six kilometers from the center of Berlin.

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:  When Tempelhof closes, the airlines and flight companies will have to move to the new BBI site

Avoiding competition

The BBI is being built on Berlin's southeast border on the site of Schönefeld airport in the state of Brandenburg, and is expected to open in late 2011.

The states of Berlin and Brandenburg voted to close Tempelhof so as not to have additional competition for the BBI.

Berlin's third airport of Tegel, in the city's north, is due to shut as soon as BBI is open for business. The number of airports currently serving Germany's capital is a legacy of its divided past. 

Future plans

It is not yet clear what will happen to the massive Tempelhof complex once it is closed. Germany's national rail, Deutsche Bahn, said it would be interested in investing in a plan proposed by the former chairman of Estée Lauder, Fred Langhammer, to construct a giant health and wellness center on the Tempelhof site.

Another investor group, the Silicon Valley based Capricorn Management, also announced a business concept for Tempelhof earlier this week. They propose building a conference center, hotel, art center and office complex.  

The problem is, both plans are contingent on the airport staying open.