Berlin airport terminal evacuated after woman reports dangerous substance

A woman’s claim that she had a dangerous substance triggered the evacuation of Terminal 1 at Berlin Brandenburg Airport on Thursday evening.

German federal police, responsible for transport security, issued a warning over a potentially hazardous object after the woman made the statement at a service desk. Authorities said they could not initially rule out a genuine threat.

Police, firefighters and other emergency services responded. Specialist units in protective suits were seen near the terminal, and some staff who left the building underwent decontamination as a precaution. Authorities had not confirmed whether the reported substance was actually dangerous.

The airport said the alarm began at about 5:45 p.m. Aircraft that had already prepared for departure were allowed to take off, and arrivals continued. Check-in operations moved to Terminal 2 wherever possible.

The incident nevertheless disrupted airport traffic. About 30 flights were delayed, and rail service to the airport, including both S-Bahn lines, briefly stopped. Deutsche Bahn also reported wider problems on regional train services. Berlin Brandenburg Airport, also known as Willy Brandt Airport, opened in 2020 and handles about 26 million passengers a year.