Berlin Tegel Airport

I live close to the airport and I never had a bad experience with it. I usually use Terminal A, but I also fly from Terminal C and D. When I have no check-in luggage and fly to another EU-airport I often arrive at the airport after boarding time and still get the flight. At Terminal A you absolutely don't need time for the security as every gate has its own small security check. If your are late and there is a long waiting line just tell the security-officers that you are late and they will give you priority. My last flight was to Frankfurt by Lufthansa and I left my house 1h before the flight, entered the terminal 40 min before the flight, went through security before boarding started and had a coffee. When the boarding started a long line formed (maybe these are the lines about which others are complaining about?), but after some time it cleared so I entered the plane. TXL is a functional airport - I really like it. As I use airports only for travelling I can not review the shopping or restaurants but as this airport is close to the city you actually don't need to spend time there. Yes, there is no McDonalds at the airport but take a 7 min busride and you are at a McDonalds.

Berlin Tegel processes arriving passengers from non EU counties at the gate just after you leave the plane, making for a very slow exit from the plane after a long flight. It took 45 minutes to get past immigration. I then had to run from terminal A to meet a connecting flight to VIE at Terminal C, where even transit passengers must go through security again. Two of three areas were staffed, and the lines were long and slow. Even though the flight from JFK arrived 30 minutes early, I got to my connecting flight 5 minutes before the plane left. I do not recommend TXL, especially if your connection is within 2 hours of arrival.

On our return-trip from Faro to Copenhagen we had to make a stopover in Berlin (we flew Air Berlin). As we arrived at Berlin-Tegel Airport it first seemed nice – you walked by yourself into the terminal building. But as we came in we realized it was not as good as we thought. The building was very small with two restaurants but no international like McD or BK or KFC. Instead there was a soup and a sausage restaurant. The toilets were awful. The Tax Free store was small but were still good enough, it had perfumes and chocolate and all other stuff they have in such stores. It seemed like there was no air condition in the hall, you became very warm in there. As we left the gate and walked out to our plane it was like a relief. The queue at the gate had no structure, it began from several places. I will never again pick TXL.

Yes, TXL is close to the city and yes, it might take a few more years for the new airport to open, but "no" it is not a pleasure to fly in and out of this tired old place. Bad restaurants and shop selection, few and old toilets, no electric outlets at the gates. Its time they close this thing down.

Berlin Tegel Airport is terrible. The check in hall is so cramped and there were so few shops. Drinks were sold 3x the usual price and the Airport Police were rude. After clearing immigration,custom officers took their own time hence the waiting area around the customs were choking with people. Berlin Tegel Airport has to improve its standards or else it will not succeed.

Terminal C seems to be a very bad add on or overspill terminal, 2 sets of departure gates, two sets of check in desk and one security control. The two sets are about 50 meters from each other and there is a large retail complex between each of them, so it is a recipe for disaster. The airline offices and tickets sales desks are in the other sector which is not a good idea as the check in agents will not accept payment on the desks so all excess baggage as to be paid for at another place The area near gate 63 has a very small duty free and a café which cannot cope when busy. The walk from the gate to the aircraft was only about 50 meters, is was the case at gate 63. However this may change when the new airport opens.

First trip to Berlin, great arrival experience, however departure was a very different story. Strange set-up, no central security or discharge lounge, each gate has its own security and departure area. This set up was not explained by Gate staff, we were told that despite having checked in online and having only hand luggage, we could not go through to departures and they did not know what time this would be possible. (We later found out that you can go through to departures 90 min before boarding). One particular staff member was very arrogant and very dismissive when I asked for information regarding check-in procedure. I strongly hope that staff will have customer service training ready for the new airport, they need to remember who pays their wages.

One of the most efficient airports I have ever experienced. Yes, it is old and not fancy. But how they manage to pull through so many flights even though they don't have the space or facilities, is fascinating. It was eventually convenient traveling. And the connection to public transit is quick, even though there is no MRT.

For the first timer a very confusing airport. The departure gates are behind each check-in. Security was painfully slow. I was queuing for an hour.

Waited for more than an hour on arrival to get through customs, the Lufthansa business lounge is no better than most international airport public waiting areas and once you go through customs you are forced to remain in a waiting area until you board. No international duty free shops, no lounges past customs just a total embarrassment.