Travel Weekly Blog

Just had a whistle-stop tour of Munich Airport - note the omg exclusive panoramic pic, taken from the lower tier of the control tower.

Naturally, we got a Munich Airport pitch along with the tour - here are the two elements I found most interesting:

It's bidding for non-travelling visitors too

Between Munich's two terminals (the original from 1992 and the shiny new one from 2005) is a covered square that acts as meeting point and venue.

The new Porsche is on display there just now, but in the past it has hosted volleyball tournemants and big-screen sports matches, notably during the 2006 Germany World Cup.

You'll find some bars with beer gardens there too, including Airbrau, the airport's micro-brewery (the weissbier and pretzels come with my recommendation).

Better still, the airport's businesses are obliged to stick to high street rates. We're told the lack of nasty airport mark-ups makes it an attractive shopping proposition for residents of north-east Munich, for whom a trip to the airport can be quicker than heading into the city centre.

It's an odd-sounding scenario, but certainly more plausible than residents of Hounslow popping to Heathrow to update their wardrobe.

It wants to be the best darn hub it can be

We're told that Munich's newer terminal was designed with transfers in mind. Gates are arranged in a kilometre-long line, so it's impossible to get lost (though God help you if you do go the wrong way, as I semi-cheekily pointed out to the PR).

There's a TV screen at every gate that displays the connections passengers need, and, helpfully, each is accompanied by a big left or right arrow.

May sound prosaic, but anyone who has tackled transfers at the likes of Hong Kong, Charles de Gaulle or - shudder - Frankfurt will see the value.

The airport is aiming for a maximum 30-minute transfer time (our Lufthansa rep claimed to have made one in 15 minutes), and has a control centre that monitors flights, sending out 'mini-vans' (don't worry, they mean buggies) to help late arrivals make their connections.

Anything else? Well, the new terminal is modern and light and airy, but that's par for the course in new airport terminals. More notable is the relative quiet - announcements are kept to a minimum in both volume and regularity.

Have they done research on how well passengers cope without announcements, I ask? The PR doesn't quite answer, instead emphasising that announcements are few, rather than totally absent.

In terms of news, Munich has plans for a third runway and terminal, and wants to get ICE train coverage extended to the airport. None of that's dated at this stage, though. 

And yes, if you have 'Heathrow expansion' and 'Crossrail' in your head, you're not alone. Bet these guys finish first though...

I'm in Bavaria with Lufthansa and the German Tourist Office until Sunday June 28 - I'll be posting here (general things) and on the Postcards blog (destination things).