Air Berlin was one of the largest European carriers. The company operated flights to many European countries, and its base airports were located in the largest cities in Germany. Air Berlin was part of an alliance of several low-cost airlines and carried about 30 million passengers in one year.
From the history of the airline
Air Berlin (“Berlin Airlines”) was founded in 1978 in the United States. The airline made its first flights in 1979. In 1992, it was bought by a group of German businessmen, and the carrier's office moved from Oregon to Germany. Air Berlin originally operated in the Mediterranean region.
After the unification of Germany in 1990, the airline received a license from the Federal Aviation Authority, and from April 16, 1991, its official name became Air Berlin GmbH & Co. Luftverkehrs KG. At the same time, the company's profile was changed: small charter flights were replaced by Boeing flights throughout Europe. In terms of the route network, Air Berlin was not inferior to large airlines and in 1991 became a member of the International Air Transport Association (ICAO).
In 2004, Air Berlin formed an alliance of airlines based on an agreement to reduce the cost of air travel. By 2006, it became an OJSC, in the same year it entered the stock exchange and soon acquired several carriers.
In 2021, Air Berlin became a member of the global Oneworld alliance and signed agreements with American Airlines and Finnair.
In 2021, the carrier began to have a hard time. For example, due to a decrease in demand for air transportation, the company stopped flights to Russia, including St. Petersburg.
Air Berlin today
Air Berlin filed for bankruptcy on August 15, 2021. At this point, the company's debt was approximately 1.2 million euros. Initially, it was planned to continue flights after the bankruptcy procedure, but later the company's management officially announced that flights would no longer be operated.
For the restructuring of Berlin Airlines, the German government provided the company with a loan in the amount of 150 million euros. This money was enough to finish the work until the end of the summer season.
Representatives of the company said that it became unprofitable back in 2008. At the same time, in 2021, its financial losses reached a record high of 780 million euros. After the carrier switched to a new summer schedule, flights were often canceled or rescheduled, which led to a decrease in the number of customers by about 24%.
In this situation, the company Etihad, which was the main shareholder of Berlin Airways, refused to financially support the carrier.
Air Verlin ceased to exist on October 28, 2021. Some of the units were sold to other air carriers. Subsidiaries and firms that worked with the company continued their activities. The official website of Air Verlin is currently closed.
Air fleet of the company
By the time of bankruptcy, the company's fleet consisted of 107 aircraft of various types, age and technical condition. The average age of the aircraft used by Air Verlin was 9 years. The company also actively used airliners that it leased. Most of the liners belong to the same class of customer service, but there are a few exceptions.
The fleet included:
● 10 airliners Airbus A319-100;
● 58 airliners Airbus A320-200;
● 4 airliners Airbus A321-200;
● 2 airliners Airbus A330-200;
● 5 airliners Boeing 737-700;
● 8 airliners Boeing 737-800;
● 1 De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 liner.
Until 2021, the aircraft fleet was more extensive, but due to the onset of economic problems, some of the aircraft, especially those designed for a significant number of seats, had to be sold.
What other airlines operate in Germany
A huge number of airlines operate in Germany, which operate flights both within the country and abroad.
- Germanwings is a German low-cost airline based at Cologne-Bonn Airport. The company provides a limited service if the passenger buys a regular ticket. Its price includes only hand luggage up to 8 kg. Baggage, food and drinks must be paid for separately. Flights of this carrier fly to Domodedovo.
- Eurowings is based in Düsseldorf and previously performed exclusively domestic transport, but has now entered the international market. Flights of this company are inexpensive, and customers are provided with a very wide range of services.
- TUIfly is the third largest German airline owned by a private travel agency. It carries out international transportation on permanent routes, as well as charter flights.
- Condor Airlines is a company that can fly to Asia, Africa, North or South America on board. She carries out both regular and seasonal transportation.
Conclusion
Air Berlin had a long history and was the second largest airline in Germany. At the moment, it is declared bankrupt and ceased to exist. Despite this, a huge number of German companies remain on the air transportation market, whose planes fly in Europe and beyond, and Germany has one of the most developed route networks of air transport in the world.
