travel news review

5 May '99
The Association of European Airlines (AEA) are not happy with the state of flying in Europe at the moment and are considering not paying their dues - worth about ú2 billion a year - to Eurocontrol, which controls all European air traffic. The AEA believes Eurocontrol is failing to exert its power in getting all 31 member-countries to improve their air transport infrastructure, to create more airspace and sort out their labour problems. The situation has not been good in the months leading up to the European summer, which is the peak air traffic season. So far this year, more than 10,000 flights operated by members of the AEA have been delayed more than 15 minutes, a long time when you are only taking a 30 minute flight. At the moment passengers travelling in Spain, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, northern France and southern Germany have been most affected by air traffic congestion.

21 April '99
The seat of Germany's parliament has officially opened in Berlin in the remodelled Reichstag. The government has moved from Bonn, where it was West Germany's "temporary" capital since 1949. In 1991 it was decided the government would move to Berlin as part of re-unification. The Reichstag is located just a short walk north of the Brandenburg Gate.

17 March '99
In Berlin, the remodelled Reichstag, the centre of momentous times in German history, is scheduled to reopen on 19 April. It was home to the German Parliament, the Bundestag, until it was burnt down in 1933. Only after 1972 was the building used for meetings and exhibitions, and in 1990 the reunification of Germany was enacted there. Remodelling of the building commenced in 1995, and its most striking feature is a central glass dome that rises above the plenary hall. The Reichstag is located just a short walk north of the Brandenburg Gate.

9 March '99
While duty free shopping is officially scheduled to end in the member countries of the European Union (EU) on 1 July, 1999, many countries are hopeful duty-free shopping can be extended for another couple of years. Of the 15 member countries in the EU, Germany, France and Britain are the main campaigners for an extension for duty-free shopping. It is estimated that if duty-free shopping goes, more than 140,000 jobs would also go. When the end of duty-free sales in EU countries eventually does come into place, travellers to Europe will still be able to obtain duty free items, as the new restrictions will only apply to intra-EU travel. As an example, if you travel between Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU, and France, duty-free purchases will still be possible. Current member countries of the EU are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

29 December
The giant American retailer Wal-Mart has taken over the German Interspar department store group. Wal-Mart, which owns 1897 department stores in the USA , now owns 74 Interspar department stores as well as the supermarket chain Wertkauf, which it acquired earlier this year. The company plans to change the name of all Interspar stores to Wal-Mart.

29 December
Tornado fighter jets and helicopters will be patrolling German railway lines after threats of sabotage to train services. Two sabotage incidents occurred over the weekend, but police do not know if they are connected to a recent blackmail attempt. In one case concrete blocks placed on the tracks nearly derailed a Berlin train. The German Government is concerned about the situation and has increased security measures, including drafting the support of the armed forces.

2 December '98
The government of Bavaria in southern Germany has permitted the construction of a luxury hotel on the site that was Adolf Hitler's fortified mountain retreat, the Eagle's Nest. The site had been previously owned by the United States Government who took control of the retreat at the end of World War II. Some of the buildings of historical interest around the retreat, including the bunkers, will remain but will be kept separate from the hotel. Hitler's main residence, the Berghof, was destroyed by US forces when they took over.

23 November'98
After centuries of dispute, France and Germany have finally agreed on where their common border should be. Since the time of Napoleon, France and Germany have been fighting over an area of land north of Strasbourg. Last week the border was finally standardised.

The 96km (60mi) border, made up of more than 900 pink sandstone markers, links the towns of Lauterbourg and Sturzenbronn.

7 September'98
Although more than 800,000 people per year visit Dachau, Nazi Germany's first concentration camp, they apparently don't spend any money while they are there. A consulting and marketing company has been employed to change Dachau's image and get some of those 800,000 visitors to part with their cash while in Dachau. The mayor, who wants to attract foreign tourists, particularly American tourists, to the town, has started negotiations with a number of US hotel chains and hopes to get a Coca Cola factory in the town as well.

12 August '98
A lobby group for Germany's four million unemployed have called for six weeks of holiday pay each year, the same time that is offered to working Germans. Currently if you are unemployed in Germany you can take three weeks off from form filling but the lobby group has stated the unemployed need more holidays to cope with the ever-frustrating life of looking for a job and dealing with bureaucrats.

1 July '98
The Bonn and Berlin city governments are constructing a replica of the Berlin Wall, nine years after the original wall was pulled down. Officials hope the Berlin Wall Memorial will be completed by 13 August, the 37th anniversary of the original wallÆs construction. The construction of the new wall has not pleased all Germans - the Berlin Wall Victims Association has asked Chancellor Helmut Kohl to stop the construction as they believe the wall belittles their suffering and diverts blame from the government.

10 June '98
Sixty Intercity Express (ICE) Trains have been withdrawn from service for inspection following last weekÆs train disaster on the Munich-Hamburg line. So far 92 people have been confirmed dead following the crash but more bodies are expected to be found by rescue workers. This is the first crash in Germany involving the newly introduced ICE Trains.

20 May '98
A proposal to simplify the German language is being vigorously opposed by academics and others in Germany. Opponents to the language reform have taken their case to the Constitutional Court, which will make the final decision. Supporters of the proposal want to make the language easier to learn, and are trying to introduce more consistent spelling and simpler punctuation.

13 May '98
Anti-semitic and violent racist attacks are on the increase in Germany. According to the government, criminal offences by right-wing extremists are at the highest level since German reunification, and rose by more than 30 percent last year. Eastern Germany has experienced the highest rise, with high unemployment, gangs and alcohol cited as the main causes.

6 May '98
The European Parliament recently endorsed Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain as the initial participants in the launch of a single European currency, the Euro. The Euro will come into the market on 1 January 1999. The United Kingdom, Denmark and Sweden have refused to join the monetary union, and Greece is ineligible as it has such a large budget deficit.

8 April '98
Lufthansa has recently commenced a daily non-stop service between Beijing and Frankfurt. Currently there are no other European airlines offering a daily non-stop service to China.

11 March '98
The romance of the rails is returning to Schleswig-Holstein. During March, couples will be able to travel through Germany's northernmost state with the regional railroad for half price. There is a catch, though. To purchase the special Flirt-Ticket, they must pucker up and deliver a bona fide lip-to-lip kiss at the ticket counter. As further conditions, travellers using the ticket must wear red hearts while underway and smooch again on board upon request from conductors. And not just the regular conductors: special conductors dressed as the god Eros will be on duty to assure that only true lovers are taking advantage of the offer.

18 February '98
Relations between Germany and Iran have deteriorated further as chancellor Helmut Kohl's top security adviser attempts to prevent the death by stoning of Helmut Hofer, a German business man accused of having sex with an unmarried Iranian woman. The harsh penalty is speculated to be linked with the decline of German-Iranian relations after jailing of an Iranian-led assassin squad in Berlin last year. But it has also been suggested that Islamists want to make an example of Hofer, as they struggle against those seeking to modernise Iran, and against the current moderate government.

11 February '98
Commencing on 29 March, smoking will be banned on all Lufthansa domestic and international flights. As a member of the Star Alliance group of airlines, Lufthansa joins other airlines in the group who offer only non-smoking services; United Airlines, Air Canada and Scandinavian Airlines Systems.