Berlin Schoenefeld – From Berlin’s point of view, taxi traffic at BER Airport is still not running smoothly. Air passengers complain that there are often not enough taxis. Berlin taxi drivers, on the other hand, are annoyed that only a small number of them are allowed to pick up passengers at the capital’s airport. Now the FDP would like to give the discussion a boost. In a motion to the House of Representatives, which the parliamentary group would like to present in the plenary session on January 27, the Liberals demand unrestricted charging rights for Berlin taxis at BER. The governing red-green-red coalition is also committed to this. But the chances that the Berliners will prevail are close to zero.
Felix Reifschneider, who is now responsible for traffic in the FDP parliamentary group in the Berlin House of Representatives, calls for a “dignified reception of those arriving at the capital’s airport”. But the liberal criticizes that there are too few taxis available at BER. Of the currently around 6,200 taxis with a Berlin license, only 400 passengers are allowed to load there – in addition to their colleagues from the Dahme-Spreewald district (LDS), for whom 400 such permits are also available.
Left-wing politicians: Brandenburg state government should intervene
The demand must “be able to be covered even at peak times without long waiting times,” says the FDP’s application. “It must be ensured – with the involvement of the taxi control centers – that, depending on the number of passengers, there are sufficient taxis available at BER during the entire operating hours of the airport.”
However, the state of Berlin cannot determine taxi traffic in Schönefeld. The district of Dahme-Spreewald is responsible for this. The Senate should now start negotiations with him again – with the aim “that all Berlin taxis have unlimited loading rights at Terminals 1 and 2 as well as 5 of BER Airport”. At least flexible daily quotas should be possible depending on requirements.
It is one of the rare issues on which the opposition and the government in Berlin agree. The red-green-red coalition agreement states: “In negotiations with the district of Dahme-Spreewald, the coalition will advocate charging all Berlin taxis at BER airport.” Berlin taxi drivers are also vehemently demanding this. The left-wing politician Kristian Ronneburg calls on the Senate administration and mobility senator Bettina Jarasch (Greens) to “stay tough on the matter”. If necessary, the governing mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) must register the topic for the joint cabinet meeting with Brandenburg in March.
The district fears for the local taxi trade
“Ultimately, I also see the state government in Brandenburg as having a responsibility to approach the district,” said the deputy. “In the sense of constructive cooperation as a joint metropolitan region of Berlin-Brandenburg, the small-small things that are being done there must finally stop.”
But in the district administration one remains firm. The district of Dahme-Spreewald firmly rejects the demand, it was confirmed in Lübben on Thursday. “Granting loading rights for all Berlin taxis ignores the actual need for taxis at BER Airport,” said LDS spokeswoman Stephanie Kunert. “If this requirement were to be met, the functionality of the local taxi trade would be severely endangered and even threatened.” The district has a legal obligation to ensure that the functionality of its own companies is protected.
Uniform airport tariff is in progress
In addition, the taxi companies, which have their headquarters in Schönfeld, only had BER Airport as their sole source of income. On the other hand, taxis from the state of Berlin are allowed to pick up passengers anywhere in Berlin. According to Kunert, the airport is just one of many revenue options for Berlin taxis.
As reported, both sides are working on a joint airport taxi tariff. “This also included a hearing of all the authorities and associations involved,” says Kunert. “Content of this hearing was also the idea of setting up fixed prices” – between BER and parts of downtown Berlin.