Here a quote from the German news magazin "Der Spiegel" about the issue (translated by google):
"It is also speculated about a completely different background: According to the aviation expert Gerald Wissel from the consulting company Airborne, Ryanair is preparing for the possible case that the insolvent Air Berlin must stop its flight operation from lack of money prematurely.
"In the case of a premature 'grounding' of Air Berlin, the coveted start and land rights would have to be immediately given again by the responsible coordinator of the Federal Republic," Wissel told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur. The surcharge could only be received by companies, which could then also fly with corresponding aircraft the routes. Ryanair wanted some machines in the hindquarters.
The Irish company withdrew from bidding for the insolvent airline at the end of August. Criticism nevertheless reaped her: Berlin's Governing Mayor Michael Miiller, the airline as an "anti-business enterprise" with a "early capitalist" business model. Economically, Ryanair is currently in a good position: its second quarter, from April to the end of June, the low-cost airline closed with a net profit of 397 million euros." [SIC]