In what is fast becoming a never ending story, officials have confirmed Berlin Brandenburg Airport will not now opening until 2014 at the earliest.

The new hub airport for the German capital had been expected to open in 2012, but has been bedevilled by a series of setbacks.

The cause of the latest delay has not been made public. However, there have been reports of problems with baggage handling systems at the airport.

But this is just the latest in a litany of technical problems suffered by developers.

The initial delay in its opening was put down to a lack of check-in desks in early 2012, before it transpired fire systems at the site were not ready in May last year.

When completed, the airport will take over from the ageing Tegel and Schoenefeld airports.

Berlin Tempelhof Airport, made famous during the Berlin Airlift, closed in 2008 to make way for the new development.

Berlin Brandenburg airport, also to be known as Willy Brandt airport after the late West German chancellor, will eventually handle up to 27 million passengers a year.

However, this is down from the initial figure of 45 million, with plans having to be scaled back.

Despite this, the cost of the project has also risen, from an estimated £1.6 billion to more than £3.2 billion.

The latest delays also raise the possibility this figure may increase further.