Strikes set to cause chaos at ITB
Airport and public transport strikes are set to cause major problems for visitors to the travel industry’s ITB exhibition in Berlin this week.
Dozens of flights to and from Germany have been cancelled today due to strike action by airport staff, while Berlin’s public transport workers have begun a three-day strike.
These are affecting all bus, subway and tramway services in the city.
A replacement bus service is in operation between Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Central Station) and Berlin-Tegel airport. Passengers to and from Berlin-Schönefeld are advised to use the AirportExpress or S-Bahn.
The airport strikes have affected flights to and from Frankfurt most severely, but flights have also been cancelled at other German airports.
Lufthansa said it has cancelled a total of 142 flight legs as a precautionary measure.
Domestic and European flights will be worst affected but Lufthansa’s long-haul flights are expected to be operated as scheduled.
A statement from Lufthansa said it “regrets the travel restrictions arising from the strike action and will do everything within its power to keep inconvenience to its passengers to a minimumâ€.
The airport workers are fighting for higher pay now that the country’s economy is strengthening.
Their union is due to hold talks with the German government tomorrow.
The ITB exhibition usually attracts over 100,000 trade visitors and over 10,000 exhibitors. Of these, 8.465 exhibitors are from outside Germany.
The trade show’s organisers said there was no need to panic and said visitors could defer attending until Saturday and Sunday, March 8 and 9, when the strikes will be over.
It said it is undertaking a number of measures to minimise the impact of the strike.
It has set up an information ticker on its home page (www.itb-berlin.com) suggesting alternative travel arrangements.
A free bus shuttle has also been set up by the ITB Berlin to and from the car park at the Olympic Stadium.
Capacities on the free ITB Berlin City Shuttle serving the Exhibition Grounds have also been increased and special bus services transferring visitors to the hotels participating in the shuttle service are also guaranteed.
Passengers arriving on domestic and foreign flights were advised to use other forms of transport such as the railways or car rental services.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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