Increased Flight Operations at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport Raise Noise Concerns in Surrounding Areas

The Berlin-Brandenburg Airport (BER) has reported a notable increase in flight operations, with February 2025 witnessing 13,410 movements, marking an almost 8% rise compared to the previous year. This surge in activity has raised concerns among residents in the surrounding communities due to the accompanying increase in noise levels, particularly affecting those in the southern suburbs.

According to local officials from the Brandenburg SPD, the rise in air traffic is attributed to the use of shortened takeoff procedures known as Intersections-Takeoffs. This method facilitates a higher frequency of flights by allowing aircraft to use less runway, leading to more takeoffs and landings per hour. However, this operational change has resulted in a significant increase in noise pollution for nearby residents, as many flights now ascend over less populated areas, particularly eastward over the A113 highway.

Since the airport's opening, the proportion of Intersections-Takeoffs has escalated to nearly 70%. In response, the Flight Noise Commission has advocated for the cessation of these abbreviated takeoffs to mitigate noise disturbances.

Residents are also apprehensive about the potential for increased noise from the planned implementation of satellite-guided navigation at BER. While the state's transportation ministry previously indicated that this technological upgrade would not alter the existing departure procedures, skepticism remains among local lawmakers. They question the validity of the ministry's assurance, particularly regarding the flight path known as the Hoffmann curve, which mandates pilots to execute a sharp turn toward less populated areas after takeoff.

Concerns have been voiced that full-capacity aircraft may struggle to maintain the required altitude during this turn, resulting in flights navigating over more densely populated regions that lack adequate noise protection measures as previously outlined in the airport's planning documents.

The state government has yet to finalize its position regarding the continuation of shortened takeoffs on the southern runway, leaving local communities in suspense over the future of air traffic management at BER.