Berlin airport evacuates Terminal 1 public area over unidentified substance

Updated 3 September 2026 at 20:30 CEST — German federal police evacuated the public area of Terminal 1 at Berlin Brandenburg Airport on Thursday evening after a woman approached a police service point with an unidentified substance. The alert began at about 17:45 local time, according to airport information reported by Deutsche Welle. The secure area beyond passenger screening was not evacuated, and aircraft continued to land and depart.

Federal police told the German regional broadcaster rbb that officers triggered a hazardous-material alert because they could not exclude a danger from the substance. Authorities had not identified the material or disclosed further information about the woman by the latest verified update. No injuries were reported in the available police, airport or media accounts.

Berlin Brandenburg Airport redirected passenger processing to neighbouring Terminal 2 where possible, airport spokeswoman Sabine Deckwerth told rbb. Deutsche Welle reported that around 30 flights had been delayed and that airport staff were working to avoid cancellations. The airport had not established the full extent of the disruption.

The operation also affected ground transport. Rbb reported that regional and long-distance trains temporarily stopped calling at the airport, while Berlin's S-Bahn operator suspended services on the S9 and S85 airport sections. The station lies directly below Terminal 1, according to the airport's official terminal information, explaining why restrictions around the building disrupted rail access as well as passenger processing.

Accounts gathered by La Libre described travellers waiting for up to two hours with little information. The differing experiences reflect the divided operation: police cleared the publicly accessible part of Terminal 1 while passengers already inside the secure zone remained in place or were redirected through Terminal 2.

The immediate Belgian impact is limited to travellers using Berlin Brandenburg, including passengers travelling between Belgium and the German capital or connecting through BER. They should consult their airline and the airport's departure board before setting out, because individual delays and gate arrangements can change during the security operation.

Police examination of the unidentified substance will determine when the affected public area can return to normal. Authorities had not announced whether the substance presented a genuine danger, when all access restrictions would end or how many flights would ultimately be delayed or cancelled.