Udo From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (8 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 1936 times:
I'm wondering if anyone is going to the ITB (Internationale Tourismus-Börse = Int'l Tourism Fair) in Berlin next week? Many airlines will be there and they usually give away nice stuff.
Sabena332 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (8 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 1910 times:
I could puke right now!
I am really interested to visit the ITB and I was just thinking: "The perfect opportunity to use one of these crappy ID tickets which I get via my girlfriend" but seconds later I realized that no airline is flying HAM-BER and the ICE is probably too expensive .
Udo From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (8 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 1893 times:
Quoting Sabena332 (reply 1): I realized that no airline is flying HAM-BER and the ICE is probably too expensive
Oh yes, our famous "Bahn" certainly charges rip off fares. I don't have a choice and drive up - but I would do that even WITH appropriate rail connections down here.
NumberTwelve From Germany, joined Dec 2004, 1431 posts, RR: 10 Reply 8, posted (8 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days ago) and read 1862 times:
Hi, Avianca,
lots of Arabic airlines have own stands, such as Etihad, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Yemenia, Iran Air, Mahan Air, ... lots of other airlines are sharing desks at tourist organisations.
almost every airline flying to Germany and lots of airlines all over the world. Last year I also saw Maledives Air Taxi.
Go to www.itb-berlin.de and check out, Avianca. Or are you interested in a special airline?
NumberTwelve From Germany, joined Dec 2004, 1431 posts, RR: 10 Reply 9, posted (8 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days ago) and read 1848 times:
Quoting Udo (reply 2): Oh yes, our famous "Bahn" certainly charges rip off fares. I
Aaaaah, yes Germany's favorite domestic enemy - everybody thinks he is expert in railway system here.
Udo, I will go by train from Frankfurt and have got special rates for ITB. Better to inform yourself than bashing companies . 24 Euros each way for 2x4 hrs ICE ride isn't too expensive in my opinion.
Also 93 % of DB's trains are in time (source: Spiegel) and that's much more than any airline that flies to bigger airports can offer.
NumberTwelve From Germany, joined Dec 2004, 1431 posts, RR: 10 Reply 13, posted (8 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days ago) and read 1821 times:
To be honest, AV, there are some more exciting things I can imagine than walking through fair halls with lots of people.
On the other hand it's cool to talk with the airline representitives, especially mon and tue when halls are not that full.
NumberTwelve From Germany, joined Dec 2004, 1431 posts, RR: 10 Reply 15, posted (8 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 1804 times:
lol @ Sabena. Very simple solution (like plane fares): get your discount by booking earlier or use periods that are not that busy.
ITB Berlin - check out hotel fares, which have double price than normal, check out DBA or LH fares where cheap prices are sold out (or weren't offered).
Rip Off? Planes and trains are full to/from ITB - DB offered fares for 24 Euro each route, also free tickets with night trains (couchette) for travel agents. Sorry, but I didn't find any airline that brought people to the ITB without costs.
I get my ticket paid from our company, but I still try not to spend that much money - rip off during ITB are hotel costs, that's for sure.
Leskova From Germany, joined Oct 2003, 6075 posts, RR: 72 Reply 16, posted (8 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 1786 times:
I'm still considering it - not sure when or if I'll go, but if I do go to Berlin, I'll do absolutely everything to avoid going there on either Saturday or Sunday...
Maybe I'll take a day off on Monday... visit the colleagues that were unlucky enough to be damned into having to stand there during the fair... ... and I still need to get rid of some overtime and some days off that I didn't use last year...
Udo From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 17, posted (8 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 1772 times:
Quoting NumberTwelve (reply 9): Aaaaah, yes Germany's favorite domestic enemy - everybody thinks he is expert in railway system here.
Really? Who?
Quoting NumberTwelve (reply 9): Udo, I will go by train from Frankfurt and have got special rates for ITB.
Good for you! Congratulations! Wonders still happen!
Quoting NumberTwelve (reply 9): . Better to inform yourself than bashing companies
It's always a pleasure to get advice from the
Quoting NumberTwelve (reply 9): 24 Euros each way for 2x4 hrs ICE ride isn't too expensive in my opinion.
Such a fare cannot generally be found on DB's network. So the example is far from being representative.
Quoting NumberTwelve (reply 9): Also 93 % of DB's trains are in time (source: Spiegel) and that's much more than any airline that flies to bigger airports can offer.
Really? Have you compared the stats?
Quoting NumberTwelve (reply 15): Very simple solution (like plane fares): get your discount by booking earlier or use periods that are not that busy.
DB's fares are still far away from being comparable to LCC airline fares...
Quoting NumberTwelve (reply 15): Sorry, but I didn't find any airline that brought people to the ITB without costs.
Focus From Israel, joined Feb 2001, 69 posts, RR: 1 Reply 18, posted (8 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 1765 times:
I was an exhibitor at ITB 2004 (not for an airline, though). With the ITB being the largest tourism fair in the world, attending or exhibiting there is a great experience, in which you get to see people from every, and I do mean EVERY, corner on earth.
Other than that, however, I would not recommend just visiting the fair - certainly if your business is not in the tourism industry. Admission is very expensive (about 40 Euros), the fair is just too big and not easy to wander around (as opposed to its competitor, the WTM, for example), and lodging prices in the area skyrocket.
When it comes to seeing airlines and receiving gifts, I wouldn't expect much. You won't see planes, but boring desks with marketing specialists, trying to "hunt" tourism agents. Most of them do their job with great success, but with little to enrich the airliners enthusiast's world. The gifts you'll walk out with will generally be some plastic bags, a funny hat and the occasional chocolate.
So, if I was to be asked, ITB can be a lot of fun for a few hours if someone is paying for your hotel and your badge. If not, and especially if tourism is not your business, you might be a little disappointed.
Udo From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 19, posted (8 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 1758 times:
Quoting Focus (reply 18): Other than that, however, I would not recommend just visiting the fair - certainly if your business is not in the tourism industry. Admission is very expensive (about 40 Euros)
The admission is around 12 Euro for the public, or just half of it for students, disabled people and kids.
Quoting Focus (reply 18): When it comes to seeing airlines and receiving gifts, I wouldn't expect much.
I have always got lots of stuff, ranging from stickers, pens, pins up to posters or interesting brochures. But it depends on the airlines. Asian and Arabian carriers are much more generous than Europeans or others.
Udo From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 21, posted (8 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 1702 times:
Quoting NumberTwelve (reply 20): lol, Udo, I can show you the ticket. And it's 24 Euro. Of course they don't sell thousands of them.
I cannot remember having questioned that ticket price...
But if it makes you happy to show it to me, I can give you my fax number!
Quoting NumberTwelve (reply 20): Very simple: first come, first serve. And when you're too late, you have to pay more. That's life.
Amen. After getting used to your teacher-like, almost daily advice, I'm wondering: could I still survive without?
Anyways, first of all, train connections here would rule out taking the "Bahn". Second, even if connections were available at a low price, I would still take the car for several reasons. So, I couldn't care less what Bahn charges and not.
NumberTwelve From Germany, joined Dec 2004, 1431 posts, RR: 10 Reply 22, posted (8 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 1696 times:
ok, Mr. Journalist, think about visiting the ITB but don't think too long (ooops, teacher me )
Journalists are always talking and talking and nothing else.
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... and I still need to get rid of some overtime and some days off that I didn't use last year...
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