Kerkloh: Of course. Because I believe that these past two decades are a real cause for celebration. I think it will be hard to find many other transportation infrastructure projects in our country that have achieved comparable growth over that period. In Riem that certainly wouldn't have been possible because of the city location.

Kerkloh: On May 16 we are hosting an official reception and a big staff party at the Munich Airport Center. On May 17 we will then be celebrating with our neighbors from the surrounding region. The entertainment will include a live performance by Dick Brave & The Backbeats. The next day, May 18, the comedian Michael Mittermeier will put in an appearance. Our traditional airport race will also take place. This year the runners will line up to start right in the MAC. The sporty theme continues on May 19: In the MAC we're showing the Champions League Final on a giant screen. We will finish the airport's birthday celebrations on May 20 with a classical benefit concert.

Kerkloh: The performance of our airport has been boosted above all by the dynamic growth in hub traffic. This is reflected in the steady rise in the share of transit passengers in total traffic, which, since the mid-1990s, has risen to 40 percent. In Riem, connecting passengers accounted for just 5 to 6 percent of the total. In addition, the number of take-offs and landings of intercontinental flights has more than doubled in Munich over the past 10 years.

Kerkloh: Definitely. Because no additional slots are available at peak periods, airlines in Munich can respond to rising passenger demand only by switching to larger aircraft – if their fleets allow this. We therefore need the third runway to be completed quickly. That is the only way of eliminating the bottlenecks and ensuring the continuing development of the Munich hub. In this way we will gain additional routes to attractive destinations all over the world, which will benefit the people living here and the economy.