BERLIN — A plan to close one of Berlin’s two airports in mid-June has been dropped because passenger numbers are expected to rise as coronavirus restrictions ease.

Federal and regional governments agreed two weeks ago to allow the closure of Tegel airport starting June 15 – a move that the operator had pushed for since March to save cash after air transport practically collapsed. All flights were to be moved to Berlin’s other airport, Schoenefeld.

Although the closure was supposed to be temporary, Tegel – Cold War-era West Berlin’s main airport – was thought unlikely to reopen its doors because the capital’s much-delayed new airport is finally set to open at the end of October.

On Wednesday, after the German government said it plans to lift a travel warning for much of Europe in mid-June, airport boss Engelbert Luetke Daldrup announced a reprieve for Tegel. He said that both of the existing, aging airports are now needed to “create the necessary space under corona conditions” for operations.

Tegel is still slated to close on Nov. 8 after the new airport opens.