The independent German airline Germania has returned to Berlin-Tegel airport after a three-year absence. On November 1, 2017, the carrier stationed an airplane at the airport and held an inaugural flight to the Gran Canarias. Now the airline will be operating from two Berlin airports –Schönefeld and Tegel. Aircraft maintenance will be carried out in a hangar at Schönefeld.

Germania’s routes from Tegel include six destinations in Egypt, Israel, and Spain. In May 2018, the carrier is planning to add another seven destinations to the schedule. The Canary Islands, Faro and Madeira/Funchal in Portugal, will be served with Marsa Alam in Egypt. Several Greek islands like Kos, Corfu, Crete, and Rhodes will also be included. From summer 2018, Germania will provide a daily connection to Palma de Mallorca.

“The market demand is quite different in Tegel compared to Schönefeld, which will grow together as one once the main airport BER[Berlin Brandenburg Airport ] has opened,” explained Germania’s sales director, Claus Altenburg, in an official press release.

BER has been under construction since 2006. It was due to open in 2011 but after a series of delays, its opening is now planned for October 2019. The airport was originally intended to replace both Schönefeld and Berlin-Tegel and to become the single commercial airport serving Berlin and the surrounding state of Brandenburg. But now there are concerns that the airport will be too small when it opens, Reuters informs.

In an official statement, Engelbert Lütke Daldrup, the CEO of BER, welcomed back Germania to Berlin-Tegel. “The reopening of the Tegel base, as well as the stationing of further aircraft at both Berlin locations combined with the expansion of the flights offered, strengthen the aviation location Berlin-Brandenburg,” said Daldrup. “We wish Germania many happy flights and look forward to new, attractive flight offers in the future.”

In 2013, Germania switched its scheduled and charter flights from Berlin-Tegel to Schönefeld as its subsidiary, Technik Brandenburg, operated a maintenance hangar in Schönefeld with Air Berlin (AB1) . The move allowed the Germania group to eliminate cost-intensive duplication of infrastructure for technical services and maintenance.