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Farewell, Tegel: 12 emotional photos from TXL’s final weekend

tip English

Farewell, Tegel: 12 emotional photos from TXL’s final weekend

The day finally came. Berlin’s favourite ugly airport — Flughafen Tegel — launched its final flight on Sunday, November 8th 2020. The brutalist airport reliably served the German capital for years longer than planned — and made its way firmly into the hearts of Berliners.

For its last weekend, ground staff, flight crew members and hundreds of locals came out to bid an emotional farewell to an unlikely icon. Here are 12 postcards from Tegel’s emotional final weekend.

No, you’re crying.

Orange skies over Tegel on Saturday November 7th, the night before the airport ceased operations for good. Photo: imago images / Camera4

A solitary figure makes his way through a deserted airport on Tegel’s final day of service. Photo: imago images / photothek

The crew of Tegel’s last-ever flight to Paris CDG pose on the tarmac before take off. Photo: imago images / Rüdiger Wölk

One last time: The departure board at Tegel shows the final flight — Air France Flight AF 1235 to Paris Charles de Gaulle on Sunday, November 8th 2020. Photo: imago images / Emmanuele Contini

Crowds gather outside Tegel Airport to watch the final take off. Photo: imago images / Frank Sorge

Berlin Mayor Michael Müller stops to take a photo in front of Tegel’s last ever flight. Photo: imago images / Stefan Zeitz

The last plane to fly from Tegel gets a symbolic water salute ceremony on the runway. Photo: imago images / A. Friedrichs

Airport ground staff share an emotional embrace on the the airport’s last day of operations. Photo: imago images / Jan Huebner

After the last flight on Saturday, November 7th, staff and crew form the letters ‘TXL’ on the tarmac. Photo: imago images / photothek

Three federal police helicopters conduct a lap of honour around Tegel to bid farewell to the airport. Photo: imago images / Future Image

On the evening of November 7th, locals gather to watch the last few flights landing at Tegel. Photo: imago images / Camera4

Love letters to Tegel from Berliners and beyond. Photo: imago images / Emmanuele Contini

Rarely has an unremarkable airport stirred up such sentimental affection among locals. But what’s next for this beloved complex after its decommissioning? Slow Travel Berlin’s Paul Sullivan looked into what the future holds for Tegel.