Frankfurt Airport is currently in the middle of a four-week celebration of Oktoberfest involving beer, sausages, brass band music and other Bavarian treats – part of the ‘Great to have you here!’ service programme from operator Fraport.

 

The band ‘Bayern Stürmer’ (right) is entertaining passengers daily in Pier Z and the non-Schengen part of Terminal 2 with authentic Bavarian music, as well as playing in the publicly accessible marketplaces in Terminal 1 on weekends.

 

Visitors and passengers (58m in 2013) can also try their hand at the so-called Bavarian ‘sports’ of milk can throwing, penny pitching, beer mug lifting, and ring tossing. Fraport is giving all competitors small gifts as souvenirs.

 

RETAIL BENEFITS

The Octoberfest celebrations are expected to drum up extra retail and F&B sales. A spokesperson for Fraport says: “This latest terminal-wide Oktoberfest promotion involves all our tenants and especially our partner Gebr. Heinemann. It has been a huge success in the first couple of days especially with international passengers.”

 

Restaurants and bistros at the airport are serving weisswurst (white sausage) or leberkäse (sausage loaf) with fresh tap beer or plum pie with a mug of coffee, among other specialties.

 

In the marketplaces, shops are offering traditional costumes, beer steins, Oktoberfest shirts, and a wide range of Bavarian souvenirs. Promoters wearing dirndls and lederhosen are also distribute multilingual flyers containing coupons that can be redeemed in more than 30 shops, restaurants, and cafés on selected items.