Berlin’s BER Airport Terminal 1 has fully reopened after a security scare prompted an evacuation Thursday evening. Federal police gave the all-clear following a comprehensive investigation. However, some operational disruptions continued for several hours.
Authorities swiftly evacuated BER Airport Terminal 1 around 5:45 p.m. local time. This action came after a woman reportedly informed security staff that her luggage contained a dangerous substance. Law enforcement personnel immediately launched an operation to assess the potential threat.
The police operation concluded around 8:45 p.m. Officers subsequently confirmed that no one had been in danger at any point. The nature of the substance remains unclear; analysis results are expected in the coming days.
Despite the all-clear, airport operations faced lingering restrictions throughout Thursday evening. An airport spokeswoman confirmed ongoing delays and some potential cancellations until the end of the day. Furthermore, she advised travelers to verify their flight status before heading to BER.
Planes already prepared for departure were permitted to take off as scheduled. Similarly, incoming flights continued to land without interruption. Passenger processing for affected Terminal 1 flights was largely redirected to Terminal 2 where possible.
Approximately 30 flights experienced delays as a result of the incident. Airport officials actively worked to mitigate cancellations by rerouting departures. Regular operations are now expected to resume on Friday.
Local train services also faced temporary disruptions. Berlin’s S-Bahn lines connecting to the airport reported service interruptions. Deutsche Bahn likewise confirmed widespread delays for regional trains in the area.
BER, also known as Willy Brandt Airport, serves as Berlin’s primary aviation hub. It is Germany’s third-busiest airport, handling around 26 million passengers annually since its 2020 opening. The facility also manages numerous federal government flights.
A comparable security incident last occurred in March of this year. That event involved a potentially suspicious aerial object, contrasting with Thursday’s terminal-specific scare.
