Berlin - A festival of aviation was under way Thursday on the last day of operations of Berlin's fabled Tempelhof Airport, which was once the entry point for 2.3 million tons of airborne relief during the Berlin Airlift.

The airport opened in 1923, became an icon of 20th century design, secured West Berlin's survival and eked out its last years as a business-flier airport. It is to be replaced by a big airport in Berlin's green belt.

Aviation enthusiasts were flying in to Berlin for last landings and takeoffs from the airport, and city radio and TV stations set up sound stages in its lofty concourse for emotional last broadcasts from the scene.

The last scheduled flight was to be a Cirrus Airlines domestic departure at 9.50 pm.

Guests from Cologne flew in aboard a chartered Airbus A319 jet and another plane came from Riga, Latvia, an airport spokesman said. Music and celebrations were to culminate at midnight with the last takeoff.

The honours were to be shared by two historic propeller planes taking off simultaneously: a US-made Douglas DC-3, as used in the 1948-49 airlift, and a German Ju-52, a type used as an airliner from 1932 onwards by Lufthansa.

Unlike modern airports, Tempelhof is situated in the midst multi-storey apartment blocks, just four kilometres from the city centre. Tourists still come to look with awe at its vast Nazi-era buildings.

Berlin has yet to decide what to do with the airfield, which is huge but too short for big airliners, or the curved terminal, which is 1,200 metres long and seen by many as a classic of 1930s architecture.

Supporters fought a vain battle to keep Tempelhof, one of the city's three airports, and were set to stand outside with candles in a last protest vigil after dusk Thursday.

But the authorities want loss-making Tempelhof and the newer Tegel Airport closed, so that all airlines land outside the city at Schoenefeld Airport, which is being rebuilt and renamed Berlin Brandenburg International,.

Tempelhof's finest hour was during the Airlift, when Soviet authorities blocked road, rail and canal transport to West Berlin. The Allies flew coal and food to Berlin's 2.2 million people for 320 dramatic days.

Unable to prevail, the Soviets called the blockade off. (dpa)