Tempelhof airport in Berlin will close to passengers in 2008 after a court threw out an attempt to keep it open. The airport, which played a leading role in the Berlin airlift after the second world war, is closing as part of plans to expand Schönefeld airport, a former military base on the city's outskirts, into Berlin-Brandenburg International airport. Several airlines that use Tempelhof airport tried to block the closure, but the federal administrative court in Leipzig rejected their claims. The airport, which is losing money, is due to close on October 31 2008. Berlin's Tegel airport will also close.