Officials at the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport have confirmed the new property will not open until March 2013, delaying the project by a further nine months.

The opening had already been delayed until June 3rd after engineers failed to install fire safety equipment.

Planners had decided to complete a partially automated version of the fire protection and control system as a transitional solution, and to introduce a fully-automated system over the following months. 

However, closed evaluation has meant this time-saving option was no longer viable.

Work on the new fire-safety system will last until December, which will be followed by three months of testing.

The decision caused outrage at Air Berlin, which will use the airport as its new base.

“This is completely unacceptable and will result in irreparable damage to the image of Berlin as an airport hub,” said Air Berlin chief executive Hartmut Mehdorn.

Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport is being built at a cost of €2.5 billion, with estimate yet as to how much the delay will cost.

The airport will have an initial capacity of 27 million passengers annually, with longer-term plans to handle 45 million.

Existing airports in Berlin, Tegel and Schoenefeld, will close when it opens.