From kindergartens and school classes to families: Hamburg Airport's tour service and model show inspire over 20,000 airport fans of all ages every year. Visitors can experience aircraft and handling at close quarters, visit the airport's own fire station and enjoy entertaining insights into the airport world in the fascinating model show. Now Hamburg Airport has opened two new exclusive tours, offering even more to discover. The "Herzstücke" ("heart") tour takes airport fans to places they've never seen before. The "Na Tour" is all about nature, showing visitors how the airport is designed and operated to minimize its environmental impact.

"Herzstücke" Tour: Four exclusive highlights

At a total of four stops, guests are offered a look behind the scenes, to find out how Hamburg Airport's two terminals operate. At "Apron Control", visitors can watch apron controllers guide arriving aircraft from the runway to the parking position - and then back again to the runway. The tour includes a breathtaking panoramic view of the apron. But who gets which parking position, and how are the gates and check-in counters allocated? Traffic control center professionals explain how flexibility is key to smooth airpot operations. The baggage handling area nelow the terminal concourse is a higely complex, visually impressive area featuring a huge baggage conveyor system with several kilometers of conveyor belt. To round off the exclusive tour, the airport invites visitors to the Hamburg Airport Lounge. Here, airport fans young and old can sit back and relax, enjoy the spectacular view of the apron and feel like a VIP.

Na-Tour - Experience environmental protection at the airport

"How green is Hamburg Airport?" Airport fans find out more about Hamburg Airport's ongoing efforts to work with the surrounding environment on this special tour. Together with an expert from Hamburg Airport's environmental department, visitors experience first-hand how the airport became the first major commercial airport in Germany to become CO2-neutral. The tour guide takes visitors past electrically powered aircraft tugs and solar staircases on the apron, beehives and insect-friendly wildflower meadows hidden away on Hamburg's largest contiguous green space. Airport fans can even help shape their tour: Would they rather get an overview or learn about a very specific environmental topic? The environmental experts plan their tour according to their customers' wishes.

The Airport Experience

Visitor service at Hamburg Airport has a long tradition. The airport model show (scale 1:500) has been delighting its fans for more than 60 years, supplemented by numerous different apron tours since 1995. The model show entertains its guests with interesting insights into airport operations and the airport's history. Since it opened in 1959, the "Show of the Little Planes" has enjoyed great popularity. The detailed model of Hamburg Airport was first presented to the public in 1956 at the World Exhibition in Vienna. Before coming to Hamburg in 1959, it was also on display at air shows in Cairo and Casablanca. The model show is regularly revised to keep up with the changing airport operations.

New access to the model show

The model show at Hamburg Airport was remodeled in January 2022, with a new, well-signposted entrance since its reopening. Passengers can access the show directly from Terminal 1, Level 2 (Travel Market). On the way there, visitors are presented with exhibits from the apron, with a display providing facts and figures about airport operations, environmental activities and jobs at Hamburg Airport.

The full range of visitor services, including a model show, viewing terrace, tour offers including the on-site fire station, children's birthday tour and matching gift vouchers can be found on Hamburg Airport's homepage here.

Via: Hamburg Airport