Berlin Tegel Airport

For the occasional traveler TXL may be too small with a too little restaurants and shopping but for the frequent flyer it's a real gem and my favorite airport. The fact that check-in passport control security tax-free shop and waiting lounge are all encapsulated together in their own units is ingenious. Arriving 15 minutes before the gate opens gives you plenty of time to reach your flight on time. Also the cab ride from a Ku'Damm hotel is only 15 minutes or so (outside of rush hour of course) and is under 20 Euros. Security is a bit strange sometimes e.g. they only let me take one throw-away lighter on board (I had three with me). What's that all about?

Coming back home through Tegel to London last Friday morning we were appalled by the lack of awareness and consideration for the problems of the disabled/handicapped traveller . We also found the lack of comfort and facilities once we had been through departure gates and security very disappointing. Specifically disabled people who turn up on time for a two hour check-in really do not appreciate having to stand for nearly an hour before being able to check in with no opportunity available to sit down. Even once we had checked in we were unable to go directly to the departure lounge because another flight had to be cleared out first. Then when we got to the departure lounge we were disconcerted to find that there was no direct access to airline lounges ( we were travelling business class) where we could have relaxed. In short we found these facilities would have been fine for a short- haul local airport but quite inadequate for a major international destination.

I use Berlin Tegel at least once a week and consider it the most convenient and best airport I have been to. Many mornings I leave my home in central Berlin less than an hour before departure park my car right under the gate and within minutes I have received my boarding pass either from an e-kiosk or from the mostly considerate and friendly check-in staffers. I often have even time to pick-up a newspaper and drink a quick fruit juice in the lounge. The highly efficient security check at each and every gate is another big advantage compared to other airports and it is better than the the ones in Munich or Frankfurt. Berlin Tegel makes travelling very easy and stress free and as much as I am looking forward to the new Berlin-Brandenburg Airport set to open in 2011 I will miss the convenience of our current airport.