Berlin Tegel Airport

Revision as of 18:55, 28 July 2009 by Lindy Field (talk | contribs) (General update reflecting changes in the last few years, addition of a second spotting location.)
Continent: Europe Country: Germany
Diamond-caution.png Please note that the use of airband scanners in Germany is illegal.


Berlin Tegel Airport
Location Berlin, Germany
IATA code TXL
ICAO code EDDT
Airport type Commercial
Website http://www.berlin-airport.de
Overview map Google Maps
Communications
Tower 124.52
Ground 121.92
Clearance
Approach 119.62 132.7 136.1 121.12X
ATIS 112.3 125.9


Berlin Tegel International Airport "Otto Lilienthal" is the primary commercial airport for Berlin. Air Berlin is the dominant carrier with significant operations from the airport, followed by Lufthansa. The vast majority of scheduled flights are to points within Europe. Currently only Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines provide transoceanic service; both to New York City in the United States. Hainan Airlines offers service to Beijing a few times a week and Air Berlin flies to Bangkok, Thailand. The airport has two parallel runways, 08L/26R and 08R/26L. Approximately seventy percent of operations use 26L & 26R when the prevailing winds are from the west. 08L & 08R are most frequently used in clear weather when prevailing winds are from the east.

Official Spotting Locations

Observation Deck

The observation deck can be found on top of the Terminal Building. It goes completely around the Building, so you can watch perfectly the whole apron. The deck is open from 10AM to 6PM from April to September, and from 10AM to 4PM at other times of year, but may be closed when the weather is poor. The entrance fee is 2€.

The observation deck offers good views of the runways and excellent departure shots from all runways are possible. Lighting is generally good because the runways are located to the north of the observation deck, but backlighting may occur in summer in the late afternoon.

  • AirTeamImages.com sample photo: [1]
  • AirTeamImages.com sample photo: [2]

Other Spotting Locations

The Spotter Hill

The Spotter Hill is no longer suitable for spotting due to the construction of a sound barrier at its base.

Meteorstrasse

Northwest of Kurt Schumacher Platz, on the Meteorstrasse, near the intersection with Uranusweg, well-trodden paths lead up a small embankment overlooking Berlin's Ring Road and most of the airfield. Excellent approach shots can be taken here in the late afternoon and evening in summer, when arrivals are from the East.

  • Airliners.net sample photo: [3]

Regular Traffic

In the summer of 2009, TXL receives scheduled service from Aegean Airlines, Air Baltic, Air Berlin, Air France, Air Malta, Air VIA Bulgarian Airways, Armavia, Austrian Arrows, Avitrans, BH Airlines, Blue Air, Blue Wings, BMI British Midland, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, Bulgarian Air Charter, Cirrus Airlines, Continental Airlines, CSA - Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Estonian Air, Finnair, Freebird Airlines, Germania, Hainan Airlines, Iberia, InterSky, JAT Airways, JetAir, KD Avia, KLM, LOT, LTU, Lufthansa, Luxair, Malev, Mongolian Airlines, Nouvelair Tunisie, Olympic, Pegasus Airlines, Qatar Airways, SAS, Sky AIrlines, Sun Express, Swiss International, TNT, Transaero, Transavia, TuiFly, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International Airlines, and WindJet.

TXL's regular traffic is augmented by government flights on an unscheduled basis.

Facilities and Transportation