More than 90000 trade visitors ensure that the exhibition halls are well filled.

After a break of several years due to the pandemic, the world's largest industry get-together took place in Berlin over the past 3 days. In addition to a large number of positive voices, the recurring desire to travel instead of travel frustration, or the "comeback of package tours", the shortage of skilled workers is causing a few worries in tourism, as is the case almost everywhere. This was evident last summer at many airports across Europe and should keep us busy in the future.

Focus Middle East

As usual, the Middle East presented itself impressively with impressive exhibition stands. From Oman, via Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, well-heeled tourists were courted at exhibition stands, some of which were magnificently decorated. Of course, the airlines of the Middle East did not miss this either. While Etihad presented the business class of the Airbus A350-1000, Oman Air showed both the business class that is the same across the fleet and the first class that is exclusively installed in the 787 Dreamliner.

Qatar Airways took a completely different approach. At the booth there, VR glasses gave the opportunity to “put the Qatar Airways cabin through its paces”.

Condor represented again for the first time

After several years of abstinence, Condor presented itself with a proudly swollen chest in the USA / Canada hall of this year's ITB. In the cabin replica of the new flagship A330neo, trade visitors had the opportunity to try out both Economy and Business Class.

A few weeks ago, Aviation.Direct had the opportunity to test the aircraft during the A330neo maiden flight from New York JFK to Frankfurt. A trip report can be found in the section of the same name here on our site.

Lufthansa Group presents all group airlines at one stand

The Lufthansa Group was also represented at the ITB 2023 with an impressive booth. In addition to the in-house frequent flyer program Miles&More, the group airlines Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Swiss, Edelweiss, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings and Eurowings Discover presented themselves. Only Air Dolomiti, which is also 100% controlled by Lufthansa, received its own / extra booth.

At the House of the Crane, the focus was on the long-haul routes of Eurowings Discover and Business Class, as well as the issue of sustainability within the Group. The famous Viennese coffee house charm is also used twice a day when flight attendants of the Austrian Original Julius Meinl coffee from Vienna are prepared with the French Press and served to trade visitors.

Southwind presents itself and 531-seat B777

The Turkish start-up "Southwind Airlines", which according to its own statement in the summer of 2023, would like to head for nine airports in Germany (DUS, HAM, CGN, STR, LEJ, NUE, FRA, BER, HAJ) as well as Zurich and Basel in Switzerland represented with its own booth.

In addition, numerous destinations in the United Kingdom (9 airports), Macedonia, Israel, Italy and Iran are served. However, the airline still has a major focus on Russia, where it flies to 15 airports.

The airline would like to start with an interesting fleet of initially five aircraft, two A330-200 (All Eco - 312 seats each), an A321ceo (All Eco - 220 seats), a brand new A321neo (All Eco - 240 seats) and a Boeing 777 -300ER start from Antalya. The last aircraft type is to be operated with all economy seating and an incredible 531 seats.