Berlin Mulls Direct Flights to Asia and US

Berlin's airports reportedly want to start direct flights to Asia and America. Dieter Johannsen-Roth, CEO of Berlin International Airports said in a radio interview Thursday that concrete negotiations with large American and Asian airliners were already underway. "Berlin is once again on the radar screens of big international carriers," Johannsen-Roth said. He added that talks with the Chinese in particular had amounted to "more than just vague hopes." Berlin's last direct flight to the US was in 2001 with German carrier Lufthansa flying from Tegel airport to Washington. But the flight was scrapped in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US. However, Rosemarie Meichsner ruled out a direct flight cropping up this winter.