Overview

• The Berlin Senate has approved use of the former Tegel airport site for refugee housing until at least May 2031, cutting capacity from over 5,500 to 2,600 places.
• The facility will be reconfigured as a central arrival center with mandatory identity, health and security screenings for all new asylum seekers.
• Reports highlight ongoing poor conditions in open “waben” halls, where residents lack proper privacy, room divisions and basic hygiene facilities.
• Operating expenses reached approximately €298 million in 2023, prompting scrutiny over high public costs against service standards.
• Terminal A will become a campus for the Berliner Hochschule für Technik; Terminal B will host the Urban Tech Republic start-up hub.