Berlin’s New Airport Opening Delayed by Technical Problems

The new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) will not open on schedule on June 3 due to technical problems concerning the installation and inspection of fire protection systems. Project managers at the new airport decided after meeting recently that the equipment and systems could not be installed and inspected in time for the opening, which has now been postponed until late summer.

The relocation of air traffic from Schönefeld and Tegel airports to BER has been temporarily halted, and those airports will remain open until the new airport is ready. The “Around the Terminal” open days on May 12 and 13 will be unaffected by the rescheduling of the airport opening and will go ahead as planned.

“This is a responsible decision,” said Burkhard Kieker, CEO of Visit Berlin. “In the interest of the tourism and convention destination Berlin, a launch of BER on a safe and comfortable basis is better than a possibly bumpy start, which impairs the arrival and departure of our guests.”

Southwest Founder Herb Kelleher To Receive Cabot Award

The coveted Godfrey L. Cabot Award will be presented to Herbert D. (Herb) Kelleher (pictured), founder and chairman emeritus of Southwest Airlines at the Harvard Club, Boston, MA, Friday June 8, 2012. Kelleher will receive the award for his dynamic leadership and creative innovation in making Southwest the 5th largest airline in the United States.

Southwest commenced service with three airplanes in 1971 and by May of 2008, operated a fleet of more than 527 airplanes, performing more than 3,400 flights per day.  Southwest has been profitable for 38 consecutive years; has never furloughed an employee; and today carries the most originating domestic passengers of any U.S. airline.

From its start in 1971 — after overcoming a year’s worth of legal challenges from competitors who tried to keep it grounded — Southwest succeeded by offering low fares to its passengers, eliminating unnecessary services and avoiding the “hub-and-spoke” scheduling system used by other airlines. During his tenure as CEO of Southwest, Kelleher’s colorful personality created an ‘esprit de corps’ that made Southwest employees well known for taking themselves lightly—often singing in-flight announcements to the tune of popular theme songs—but still taking their jobs seriously.

In Fortune magazine’s annual poll, Southwest is consistently named among the top five Most Admired Corporations in America and the only airline to make Fortune’s top 10 list of the World’s Most Admired Companies.

Money magazine revealed that during the 30-year period 1972-2002, Southwest produced the highest return to shareholders of any company included in the S&P 500 during that 30-year period:  $10,000 invested in Southwest in 1972 was worth $10,200,000 in 2002 (an average increase of 25.99% per year).

Herb Kelleher served as Executive Chairman of Southwest from March 1978 to May 2008 and as President and CEO from September 1981 through June 2001. Over the years, Kelleher has received a plethora of awards and honors. He is a graduate from Wesleyan University, where he was an Olin Scholar and from NYU Law School, where he was a Root-Tilden Scholar.

Spirit Airlines Hikes Carry-On Baggage Fee to as High as $100

Spirit Airlines just took baggage fees to new heights by increasing the amount it costs to stow a bag in an overhead bin to $100 for passengers who pay for that bag at the gate. The new fees go into effect Nov. 6. Those who plan ahead can save money. Paying at the airport counter or kiosk will cost $50. Pay at a reservation center and it costs $40. Pay online and it drops to $35. Join Spirit’s $9 Fare Club and it’ll cost you $25. Current fees now range from $20 for domestic flights for $9 Fare Club members to $45 for a carry-on bag paid for at the gate. Spirit was the first carrier to introduce fees for carry-on bags two years ago; Allegiant Airlines recently followed suit.