The ceremonial opening of the new terminal at Munich Airport took place on 27 June 2003. Over 2,500 VIP guests from the worlds of business and politics had accepted the invitation to the ceremony, which was broadcast live by Bavarian state broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk in a two-hour show. The corporate design of the hosts, FMG and Lufthansa, was featured throughout MAC and Terminal 2 itself, swathed in white fabric.

The vast dimensions of the open-air space at MAC required a sophisticated spatial concept. The welcome area, spectator tribunes and speakers’ podium had to be easy and quick to reach, yet also comply with strict security regulations. But the main challenge was the logistics of setting up the event, which had to be coordinated closely with final building works on the terminal to ensure that flight operations could begin smoothly on the day after the ceremony. The event highlighted the significance of Terminal 2 as a hub connecting the world by featuring a range of show performances from the various home countries of Lufthansa’s Star Alliance partners and international associates.