Berlin – 10 out 10 for demolition; 0 out of 10 for construction

When the Berlin Wall was knocked down by an enthusiastic mob in Nov-1989 it led to the reunification of Germany the following year. The country went on to become the economic powerhouse of Europe and still grew economically in the most recent quarter even as the euro zone slipped back into recession. The ultimate symbol of reunification should have been the opening of Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BBI) this summer, merging three airports that had lain in the east and west of what once again became the capital into one, to rival London, Paris... and perhaps even Frankfurt. But what comes down doesn't always go up; the opening was delayed until Mar-2013 and to the embarrassment of the airport authority, politicians and probably the entire country it may now be pushed back even further. Worse still, there are now concerns about the financial health of the entire project.