What happened to Air Berlin’s employees?
After successfully operating since 1979, Germany’s second largest airline, Air Berlin, went bust one year ago today. Following Air Berlin’s bankruptcy, things have changed – a lot – in the German aviation industry. Not just because of the fact that 132 airplanes and more than 8000 employees were forced to move airlines.
How long has Air Berlin been in the air?
Founded it 1978, started operations in 1978; it was operating for almost 39 years when its last ever commercial flights were in the air on October 27th, 2017. Air Berlin was originally created as an American charter airline (called ‘Air Berlin USA’), to operate flights from West-Berlin to holiday destinations.
Why did American Airlines start flying to Berlin?
The airline was founded by American interests in 1978 to provide airline service to West Berlin, a territory that could not legally be served by West German airlines such as Lufthansa due to political restrictions on East German airspace.
What happened to the Air Berlin frequent flyer programme?
"Air Berlin frequent flyer programme files for insolvency". Reuters. Retrieved 3 September 2017. ^ Flightradar24. "Flightradar24.com – Live flight tracker!". Flightradar24.
Why did Air Berlin stop flying?
Bankruptcy. After Etihad stopped financial support, Air Berlin entered insolvency procedures on 15 August 2017. On 9 October 2017, Air Berlin told its staff that it would cease all remaining operations under its own AB flight numbers due to its negative financial outlook and bankruptcy proceedings.
When did Air Berlin go out of business?
October 27, 2017It is now two years since Air Berlin ceased operations. The airline collapsed on October 27, 2017, following financial issues leading to insolvency. Even though the carrier was founded by an American company named Lelco in 1978, it was eventually sold in 1991 to become a German operation.
Who bought Air Berlin?
BRUSSELS, Oct 20 (Reuters) - German airline Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) and British peer easyJet (EZJ. L) on Wednesday gained backing from Europe's second top court for their acquisitions of insolvent German carrier Air Berlin's assets four years ago.
Why is Berlin not a Lufthansa hub?
After World war 2, German airlines were not allowed to fly into Berlin, because Berlin was not officially a German city, but under control of the four powers that won the war (USA, Russia, UK, France). That prohibited Lufthansa to locate any planes there.
Where is the new Berlin airport?
SchönefeldBerlin Brandenburg AirportBerlin Brandenburg Airport "Willy Brandt" Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg “Willy Brandt“OperatorFBB GmbHServesBerlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan RegionLocationSchönefeld, BrandenburgOpened31 October 202014 more rows
What is the name of German airlines?
Lufthansa, in full Deutsche Lufthansa AG, German airline organized in Cologne, W. Ger., on Jan. 6, 1953, jointly by the federal government, the German National Railway, and the state of North Rhine–Westphalia; later it accepted private investors.
Is Lufthansa safe?
With a safe travel score of 4.5 (out of five), German airline Lufthansa tops Safe Travel's leaderboard of the safest airlines to travel on for both travellers and as an airline employee, in terms of its Covid-19 health and safety measures.
Is Swiss Air owned by Lufthansa?
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is The Airline of Switzerland, serving over 100 destinations worldwide from Zurich and Geneva. SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group, and is also a member of Star Alliance.
What German cities were not destroyed in WW2?
15 Beautiful German Cities Not Destroyed That Survived WW2 Almost Untouched1 - Goslar, Lower Saxony. ... 2 - Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg. ... 3 - Regensburg, Bavaria.4 - Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg.5 - Bamberg, Bavaria.6 - Lüneburg, Lower Saxony. ... 7 - Göttingen, Lower Saxony.8 - Celle, Lower Saxony.More items...
Are there direct flights to Berlin from the US?
Starting later this month, Berlin Brandenburg Airport will finally have direct flights to and from the United States of America.
Why does Lufthansa fly from Berlin?
Before reunification, West German airline Lufthansa didn't serve the city of Berlin. Airlines from West Germany weren't able to fly through East German airspace. This is why Air France was the first airline to use the airport. Following reunification, however, Lufthansa found itself able to fly to Berlin.
Why did Air Berlin lose money in 2015?
Amongst the reasons considered for Air Berlin's poor performance were: crippling debt of over €800m; unclear and rapid strategy changes on routes and advertising; several CEOs over recent years; a five-year-plus delay to the new hub Berlin Brandenburg Airport; failed negotiations to profit from lower fuel prices and the overall harsh competition in the airline industry.
When did Air Berlin cease operations?
It joined the Oneworld alliance in 2012. After years of losses, Air Berlin filed for insolvency on 15 August 2017 and ceased operations on 27 October 2017.
What is Air Berlin?
Air Berlin PLC & Co. Luftverkehrs KG ( FWB : AB1 ), branded as airberlin or airberlin.com was a major German airline. At its peak, it was Germany's second-largest airline, as well as Europe's tenth-largest airline in terms of passengers carried.
How many maintenance facilities did Air Berlin close?
In October 2016, Air Berlin announced plans to close four of its seven airberlin Technik maintenance facilities and lay off 500 of their staff.
How many aircraft does Air Berlin have?
Air Berlin, including its subsidiaries Belair and Niki, planned to cut 40 of its fleet of 118 narrowbody jets, leaving Air Berlin with its own fleet of 75 aircraft. The new fleet would be 17 Airbus A330-200 for long-haul operations and 40 Airbus A320 family aircraft and 18 Bombardier Q400 aircraft for European routes. A separate, tourist-destination-oriented unit with 35 aircraft was to be formed, perhaps operating with a partner ( TUIfly was the assumed partner as they already operate several aircraft for Air Berlin) – or sold altogether. Plans to wet-lease the remaining aircraft were realised with the December 2016 announcement that 38 Airbus A319/A320 aircraft would be wet-leased to Lufthansa Group's Eurowings (33 aircraft) and Austrian Airlines (five), effective February 2017 for a period of six years.
What was the role of Air Berlin in the Cold War?
As a United States airline, Air Berlin was able to access the West Berlin airline market. During the Cold War, Berlin's special political status meant that the air corridors into and out of Tegel Airport could only be used by airlines registered in France, the United Kingdom or the United States.
Where is Air Berlin located?
It was headquartered in Berlin and had hubs at Berlin Tegel Airport and Düsseldorf Airport. It was a member of the oneworld airline alliance . The airline was founded in 1978 by Lelco, an American company. Following German reunification, Air Berlin was sold and became a German company in 1991.
Who would take over Air Berlin?
After the airline shut down, large numbers of non-operational passenger aircraft had to be stored somewhere until they found buyers or lessees, as Air Berlin’s entire fleet was leased.
Who bought Air Berlin?
After the reunification of Germany, Air Berlin USA was bought by investor Joachim Hunold in 1991, who transformed the airline into a German company and stayed CEO of ‘Air Berlin PLC & Co. Luftverkehrs KG’ until 2011. In 1998, Air Berlin received its first of 40 ordered Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft.
What is the callsign for Air Berlin?
AB6210 – Air Berlin’s last flight to its home base Berlin Tegel Airport (TXL) was operating from Munich Airport to Berlin under the unique callsign ‘BER4EVR’, which also became the social media hashtag for people wishing Air Berlin a goodbye. The flight touched down at 11:45 pm local time.
What airline is part of OneWorld?
Air Berlin, Germany’s second largest airline, had a fleet of 170 aircraft, when it joined the OneWorld alliance in 2010. It purchased 50.01% of the Austrian airline Niki (founded in 2003 by Niki Lauda) in November 2011.
How many airplanes were forced to move after Air Berlin bankruptcy?
Following Air Berlin’s bankruptcy, things have changed – a lot – in the German aviation industry. Not just because of the fact that 132 airplanes and more than 8000 employees were forced to move airlines.
What is the name of the airline that flies from Berlin to Berlin?
Air Berlin was originally created as an American charter airline (called ‘Air Berlin USA’), to operate flights from West-Berlin to holiday destinations. Because at that time, German airlines weren’t allowed to operate flights to or from Berlin Tegel.
Why was Air Berlin cancelled?
The order was cancelled in 2014, due to financial reasons.
When did Air Berlin close?
Nonetheless, this figure was not enough to save the airline. Thus, on October 27th, 2017 , Air Berlin fully ceased operations.
How long has Air Berlin been around?
The Rise And Fall Of Air Berlin. Air Berlin first commenced operations 49 years and was an influential force in aviation until it ceased operations just four years ago. There were plenty of ups and downs along the way for the carrier. Here’s a look at the airline’s key milestones over the decades. Air Berlin went through several different livery ...
What airline flies from Berlin to Tegel?
Going by the name of Air Berlin USA, the Lelco subsidiary sought to provide charter flights from Berlin Tegel to Mediterranean hot spots. Notably, during this Cold War period, the United States was one of just three airlines able to access Tegel’s air corridors. Only France and the United Kingdom had the same privilege in the West Berlin market.
Why did Air Berlin use the 737?
Air Berlin was a fan of the Boeing 737 due to the plane’s reliability on short and medium-haul leisure operations. Photo: Getty Images.
How many passengers did Air Berlin transport in 1992?
The carrier’s new 737-400 aircraft would transport nearly half a million passengers to leisure destinations in 1992 alone. This figure was then doubled by the end of 1994. The growth continues throughout the 1990s, ...
How many planes did Air Berlin take?
Much of the airline’s fleet and many of its employees were taken on by compatriot Lufthansa. In total, the flag carrier of Germany took on 81 planes and approximately 3,000 staff members. It was also announced that low-cost carrier easyJet would take on 1,000 employees.
What happened in the 1980s?
As the 1980s drew to a close, Air Berlin was left with serious questions to answer. The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9th, 1989, marked a new era in the economy of Germany. A unified country meant that the US-backed business had to find a new structure to continue operating.
What was the problem with Air Berlin?
However, Air Berlin had some massive structural challenges, and they weren’t Etihad’s fault. One basic problem: The airline never settled on a strategy. For a long time, it wanted to be a discount airline focused on attracting leisure customers.
Where will investors focus after Air Berlin?
RBC has also speculated that after Air Berlin, investor focus will move to Norwegian and Alitialia. “In theory both may offer opportunity for consolidation and a more rational European backdrop,” RBC analysts noted.
How much did Etihad lose in 2016?
Hogan was dismissed on July 1, and less than a month later, Etihad reported a massive $1.87 billion annual loss for 2016. About $800 million of the loss were attributable to failed investments in other airlines, especially Alitalia and Air Berlin, the company said.
How many airlines does Etihad own?
Over a roughly five-year period, Etihad also bought stakes in Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Jet Airways and Virgin Australia, usually owning 24 and 49 percent of the airline — not enough to run it.
How much did Etihad invest in Air Berlin?
In May, with the airline ailing, Bloomberg reported Etihad had invested another $350 million Euros, or about $410 million U.S., into Air Berlin. At the time, it was estimated Etihad had invested almost 2 billion Euros ($2.35 billion U.S.) into the company. However, Air Berlin had some massive structural challenges, and they weren’t Etihad’s fault. ...
How much did Air Berlin lose in 2012?
But it hasn’t worked. Last year, Air Berlin reported 781 million euros in losses, or about $916 million U.S., its eighth loss in nine years. According to CAPA, an aviation analysis firm, the airline’s only profit came in 2012, after it sold its loyalty program to Etihad. Instead of giving up, Etihad kept investing.
Why did Etihad gain access to the German market?
The idea was simple: Etihad would gain access to the lucrative German market, while Air Berlin would receive needed cash. Etihad also would lessen its dependence on revenue from the Middle East, where it fought for share with Emirates Airline and Qatar Airways.
What happens if you cancel a flight in the middle of your trip?
EU regulations also address what happens if flights are cancelled in the middle of your trip. EU airlines are required to refund the “part or parts of the journey not made” within seven days of cancellation. In addition, airlines are required to provide “a return flight to the first point of departure, at the earliest opportunity.” But, then again, there’s the sticky “extraordinary reasons” excuse that Air Berlin could claim to leave you stranded.
Is Topbonus going bankrupt?
Bad news for those with Topbonus miles: the mileage program declared bankruptcy on August 25 and at that time, all mileage earning and spending was suspended. Around a month later on September 20, the program announced a partial resumption of activities and you can now collect Topbonus miles from Etihad flights and non-airline partners. But we’d recommend against it.
Who bought Air Berlin?
Lufthansa took over parts of Air Berlin after getting the green light from the European Union in December, while easyJet bought Air Berlin’s operations at Berlin Tegel airport.
When did Air Berlin start?
The origins of Air Berlin showed a clever instinct for survival. When it started in 1978, it was initially registered as an American airline, which gave it access to air corridors in and out of Berlin’s Tegal international airport during strict Cold War restrictions.
How much did Etihad invest in Berlin?
By August, Etihad — which had by then invested about $3 billion into Air Berlin — finally had enough.
What is the second largest airline in Germany?
Air Berlin was Germany’s second-largest airline. Picture: Britta Pedersen/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa Source:Supplied. It was part of the Oneworld alliance, along with the likes of Qantas, Cathay Pacific and British Airways.
When did the wage strike happen in Berlin?
Stranded passengers queue for buses at Berlin Tegel airport during a wage strike of ground staff on March 10, 2017. Picture: AFP/Tobias Schwarz
Is Lufthansa a low cost airline?
After years of growth by acquisition, it found its place as the second-largest airline in Germany, after Lufthansa. It operated somewhat as a “semi low-cost carrier” — not quite a budget airline, and not full-service — and flew passengers to Europe, North America, Asia and North Africa.
Has Jetstar opened the borders?
They haven’t opened the borders to us just yet, but that hasn’t stopped Jetstar from releasing thousands of super-cheap flights across the ditch.
Overview
History
Originally registered as Air Berlin USA, the company was founded in 1978 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Lelco, an American agricultural enterprise headquartered in Oregon, to operate charter flights on behalf of German tour operators from Berlin Tegel Airport, mostly to Mediterranean holiday resorts.
The co-founders of Air Berlin USA were:
Corporate affairs
Air Berlin PLC shares were publicly traded on Xetra and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in the regulated market. Trading in the regulated unofficial market occurred at the exchanges in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart. Since December 2011, Etihad Airways was the largest shareholder in Air Berlin. As of December 2015, the major shareholders (over 5%) were:
Destinations
Prior to its shutdown, Air Berlin flew to scheduled year-round and seasonal destinations in Europe.
Air Berlin codeshared with the following airlines:
• Air Serbia
• Air Seychelles
• airBaltic
Services
Air Berlin long-haul aircraft featured business and economy class sections. At the beginning of 2012, Air Berlin started the renewal of its long-haul cabin, equipping both economy class and business class with new seats and a new in-flight entertainment system. Fully automatic seats that could tilt up to 170 degrees were provided in business class, along with an anti-thrombosis editio…
See also
• List of airlines of Germany
• List of companies of Germany
• Transport in Germany
Notes
Notes
Citations
• Berlin Airport Company – Monthly Timetable Booklet for Berlin Tempelhof and Berlin Tegel Airports, several issues (German language edition only), 1968–1992. West Berlin, Germany: Berlin Airport Company.
• "Flight International". Flight International - Marketing Stories. Sutton, UK: Reed Business Information. ISSN 0015-3710. (various backdated issues relating to Air Berlin, 1979–2007)
A Brief History of Air Berlin
Why Air Berlin Ceased Operations
- Sadly, the shut down wasn’t unexpected. After struggling for several years, the airline was forced to file for insolvency on August 15th, 2017, when its largest investor, Etihad Airways Group, pulled out. It received a controversial 150 million Euro loan from the German government, which made it possible for the airline to operate until the end of ...
The Final Flight
- Since Air Berlin continued to operate more or less after its regular schedule, there were several ‘last flights’. We were very lucky to be on board one of them. AB6210 – Air Berlin’s last flight to its home base Berlin Tegel Airport (TXL) was operating from Munich Airport to Berlin under the unique callsign ‘BER4EVR’, which also became the social media hashtag for people wishing Air B…
Who Would Take Over Air Berlin?
- After the airline shut down, large numbers of non-operational passenger aircraft had to be stored somewhere until they found buyers or lessees, as Air Berlin’s entire fleet was leased. Several European airlines (including Lufthansa, Ryanair, easyJet and Thomas Cook) were originally interested in taking over some parts of the former airline. Ryanair later withdrew its bid for asset…
Routes
- Competing airlines rushed to offer new flights from Berlin Tegel and Dusseldorf airports, once Air Berlin was no longer. Thanks to the capacity gaps, Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian Airlines even used wide body aircraft (including Airbus A340, Boeing 747 and 777) on short haul flights to Berlin in November and December last year. While most short and medium haul routes were quickly ta…
The Market Is Shifting
- Air Berlin wasn’t a low-cost carrier. While yes, Air Berlin was below Lufthansa’s quality level, but there always was a huge difference between Air Berlin and competing low-cost airlines. If you look at Berlin Tegel’s situation in 2016, you can see that Air Berlin was clearly the leading operator at the capital airport of Germany. With the exception of some (mostly domestic) Eurowings and Ge…
Born in The USA
A New World
- As the 1980s drew to a close, Air Berlin was left with serious questions to answer. The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9th, 1989, marked a new era in the economy of Germany. A unified country meant that the US-backed business had to find a new structure to continue operating. Joachim Hunold, a former sales and marketing director at German carrier LTU International led t…
Financial Difficulties
- The carrier joined oneworld in 2012, allowing NIKI to become an affiliate member of the alliance. However, the 2010s were not kind to Air Berlin at all. Losses piled over the period of six years, and by the time 2016 rolled around, the company was approximately $870 million in debt. Amid the difficulties, the firm opted to slash capacity to help improve the dire situation. Air Berlin’s chief e…
The Subsequent Impact
- Even after Air Berlin’s downfall, the airline’s struggles continued to cause a stir in the aviation industry. The airline’s insolvency administrator sued Etihad for over $2 billion. The claim was that the UAE carrier failed to uphold its commitments. The administrator said the following in court in December 2018, according to Aeronautics: Along wit...