Emirates Halts Berlin Flight Plans After Agreement Dispute

After more than two decades of pursuing access to the German capital, Emirates has put its Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) plans on hold. CEO Tim Clark made the announcement on Wednesday at the World Routes aviation conference in Frankfurt am Main, stating plainly: "We will not be flying to Berlin at the moment." The Handelsblatt reported his remarks on Thursday.

The setback follows what had been celebrated as a breakthrough: an updated air transport agreement between Germany and the United Arab Emirates, finalised in September. However, Clark explained that both sides are now interpreting certain formulations of the deal differently. He said it must first be confirmed that both the spirit of the agreement and its translation are correct — only once clarity exists would Emirates consider beginning services to Berlin.

An industry insider, according to reporting on the matter, described the drafting of the agreement as "Pfusch" — botched work. The long-awaited deal had raised hopes among those hoping for a major new long-haul connection at BER.