Since August 2022, passengers departing from Berlin Brandenburg Airport have been able to book timeslots for security checks free of charge. Capacities for the “BER Runway” service have now been increased significantly. Since Wednesday, March 1st, around 6,000 timeslots are available every day to provide additional routes through the security checks. That's 2,000 more slots than before.

Currently, between 25,000 and 30,000 passengers pass through the security checks at BER before their departure. In the current stage of expansion, timeslots are available for at least 20% of departing passengers every day.

The “BER Runway” service was introduced in August 2022 and has been gradually expanded after receiving a very warm reception. In the past six months, a total of around 430,000 timeslots for security checks have been booked over “BER Runway”. Due to the continuing increase in demand, the airport company, in cooperation with the Federal Police, wants to continue to expand this service. 

Passengers can use “BER Runway” to reserve a free timeslot online from 72 hours before departure to ensure individual access to the security checkpoints in Terminal 1 via security checkpoint 4, thereby reducing any waiting times. BER was the first airport in Europe to introduce the option of booking fixed times for security checks, free of charge, in August 2022.   

Thomas Hoff Andersson, Chief Operations Office Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH: “BER Runway has established itself successfully and is an integral part of what we have to offer at Berlin Brandenburg Airport. It gives passengers the freedom to choose exactly how long they stay in the airport and therefore reduces travel stress. At the same time, BER Runway enables us to better control the processes at the security checkpoints. We are very pleased to be able to expand this service further, in cooperation with the Federal Police.” 

How does BER Runway work? 

• Reservations for BER Runway can be made on the airport website and in the BER App, from 72 hours to one hour before departure, for Schengen flights or, from 72 hours to one and a half hours before departure, for non-Schengen flights. Slots are offered within a time window of 60 to 360 minutes before departure. Flight number and email address must be provided when reserving a timeslot.
   
• A time window can be selected at a fixed time, every quarter of an hour. Access to BER Runway is signposted in Terminal 1. It can be used from 10 minutes before or up to 10 minutes after the selected time. Reservation and boarding pass will be checked prior to access. 
   
• The airport company still recommends that all passengers be at the respective terminal 2.5 hours before departure. With BER Runway, however, this time can be reduced, allowing passengers to make the most of their stay at the airport. Passengers should note, however, that they should allow sufficient time for check-in and baggage drop-off before using BER Runway.
   
• All Runway passengers can also use the general entrances to the security checkpoints, even if they have made a reservation. In that case, you will be asked to cancel the reservation.
   
• For example: A departure takes place on a Friday at 10 a.m. The BER Runway timeslot can then be reserved anytime from 10:00 a.m. on the previous Tuesday, to 9:00 a.m. (Schengen flight) or 8:30 a.m. (non-Schengen flight) on the respective Friday. With a slot at 8:15 a.m., access to BER Runway is then possible on the day of departure between 8:05 a.m. and 8:25 a.m.  

For further information about the growth industries, economic development, business and technology support for companies, investors and scientific institutions in the Airport Region Berlin Brandenburg please contact:

Sandra Koletzki ​​​​​​ | sandra.koletzki(at)airport-region.de

(Source: Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH, 03|02|2023 | "BER Runway to expanded further")