On 2nd June 2012, a piece of aviation history will draw to a close. On that day at around 22:50, airberlin flight AB1000 will be the last passenger flight to take off from Berlin’s Tegel Airport, flying on a sightseeing tour over the city. Tickets for the farewell flight are now available from the organiser, airevents.

42 years after the start of civil aviation, Berlin-Tegel will be closing its doors on 2nd June 2012. A symbolic ceremony will mark the final flight from the airport. At the same time this represents the launch of the future of aviation in the capital; the following morning Berlin’s new Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport will open.

An airberlin Boeing 737-800 will be the last plane to take off from Tegel Airport with passengers on board, and will make a 50-minute flight over the city. After the aircraft has flown over the airport for the last time, the lights on the take-off and landing strips will be switched off in a symbolic gesture. Passengers will be able to toast farewell to the airport with a glass of champagne.  At 23:40, the airberlin Boeing 737-800 will touch down at Schonefeld Airport and will be among the last aircraft ever to land there.

airberlin is Germany's second largest airline. The company has a workforce of 9,200 employees. In 2010 alone, airberlin received over 10 awards for service and quality. The fleet comprises 170 aircraft with an average age of five years, making it one of the most modern fleets in Europe. The airline's state-of-the-art jets are highly fuel efficient, which contributes toward a long-term reduction in pollution emissions from aircraft. As one of the major European airlines, airberlin flies to 171 destinations in 45 countries. In 2011, the airline carried more than 35 million passengers. airberlin has signed up for membership to the global airline alliance oneworld® and is expected to become a full member at the start of 2012. airberlin operates codeshare flights with the oneworld members American Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Malev, Royal Jordanian and S7. In December 2011, airberlin entered into a strategic partnership with Etihad Airways.