Air Berlin : fleet cut in half + layoffs
Pegase Driver
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 1997
Location: Europe
Age: 74
Posts: 3,686
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Air Berlin : fleet cut in half + layoffs
According a (serious) German newspaper this morning Air Berlin ( 2nd Airline in Germany) , lost 1 billion $ last year is planning to cut its fleet by half, including pilots and cabin crew layoffs .
Sad day for Germany.
Air Berlin soll halbiert werden - Wirtschaft - Süddeutsche.de
Sad day for Germany.
Air Berlin soll halbiert werden - Wirtschaft - Süddeutsche.de
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: London
Posts: 7,072
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
no - a sad day for Air Berlin staff and their investors
In the 21st century we should stop confusing an airline's interests with a country 's interests
there is still plenty (maybe too much) capacity to serve Germany
In the 21st century we should stop confusing an airline's interests with a country 's interests
there is still plenty (maybe too much) capacity to serve Germany
Pegase Driver
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 1997
Location: Europe
Age: 74
Posts: 3,686
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Harry :
Yes you are right of course, I typed too fast, I was meaning the German aviation world ,especially the Pilots and cabin crew that will be affected, not the State of Germany.
LW20 : wetlease ? The article ( and some others) do not mention it. As the merging with Tui , the article says it will be the 17 FlyNikki aircraft ( from Austria) that may join the Tuifly fleet, not AB aircraft.
we should stop confusing an airline's interests with a country 's interests
LW20 : wetlease ? The article ( and some others) do not mention it. As the merging with Tui , the article says it will be the 17 FlyNikki aircraft ( from Austria) that may join the Tuifly fleet, not AB aircraft.
AB's seat costs are approximately 3x those of Ryanair. With the latter making more and more inroads onto markets from primary airports across Germany there is only so far brand loyalty will take you!
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: EDDM
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
AB will operate 40 A320 on wetlease for EW. LH kills two birds there, one the slots stay blocked so EZY/RYR cannot get in plus they expand without having to hire crew nor aquire A320 
EW will probably fly the same AB routes for a period to keep regulators happy.
EW will probably fly the same AB routes for a period to keep regulators happy.
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: not telling
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Consistently the worst customer service I have ever experienced from an airline, to the point of fury on several occasions.
Although sad for individuals, as a corporate entity they absolutely 100% deserve this.
Although sad for individuals, as a corporate entity they absolutely 100% deserve this.
Consolidation is inevitable in Germany. I think in 10 years time you will see LH subsidiaries limited to prime slot-constrained markets such as MUC/FRA/DUS and EasyJet, Ryanair and Wizz scrapping for everything else.
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: world
Posts: 3,424
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Probably, and that will signal the end of my flying days, at least within Europe. With no Channel to cross, it will be back to the car and holidays in France. Being retired I can travel there off peak.
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 1,642
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think the general feeling is it had to happen. Some strange Union agrreements in place due to previous mergers. The best thing AB could do is cease and start again. That's not my view but someone who works there!
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: N/A
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Air Berlin had a nice business case with their flights to holiday destinations, one aircraft type, a lot of small bases all over Germany. But then Hunold got megalomania. Bought Deutsche BA and LTU. By this he made it to complex and the operating costs got to high.
Yes, but I'm slightly surprised EY didn't throw money at them with stricter conditions and that we would've seen AB doing a proper turnaround in their business....
Besides, AB is a complete basketcase and EY are hardly the world-standard, as far as demonstrated ability to perform turnarounds goes. They've got lots of money, but not necessarily the talent to manage it wisely.
One hopes the soon to be ex-employees of AB may find gainful employment elsewhere, in the industry or outside of it. Don't be surprised to see parts of its management washing up on hot and sandy shores, as thousands of failed managers have done before them.
There is a certain panic in Germany that now with the Brexit on the horizon lowcost giants from the UK might step expand in central Europe instead. So everybody tries to brace for that moment, LH, AB and TUI. Ryanair has quietly moved many flights and business to Germany's big airports and aims for business travellers now, being ready to grow there.
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSL8N1C22FG
"mainly sales and marketing jobs" (to go) - if you don't sell the flights yourself you won't need them, true.
"mainly sales and marketing jobs" (to go) - if you don't sell the flights yourself you won't need them, true.
Last edited by safelife; 27th Sep 2016 at 15:48.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Between a rock and a hard place
Posts: 1,267
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There is a certain panic in Germany that now with the Brexit on the horizon lowcost giants from the UK might step expand in central Europe instead. So everybody tries to brace for that moment, LH, AB and TUI. Ryanair has quietly moved many flights and business to Germany's big airports and aims for business travellers now, being ready to grow there.
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: schermoney and left front seat
Age: 57
Posts: 2,438
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This requires the German government to grow balls. You know who our "chancellor" is ? She won´t grow the required 'tools' to cope with that guy O'Leary.
In fact, German policy since Gerhard Schroeders so called "reforming" (the "Agenda 2010"), was to shrink German employees rights to next to zero, dumping the income and create a whole new part of the populous, the working poor. Social welfare is now for people from the middle east and German workers that get the sack at, say age 50 or 55, are doomed. They will, after one year, go to "HartzIV" which means to get stripped of everything of value before the welfare kicks in. Meaning sell your life insurance, use whatever savings for your pension age you have, sell your house, should it be greater than 160 square meters etcetc.
And Angela Merkel keeps this course true and well.
In fact, German policy since Gerhard Schroeders so called "reforming" (the "Agenda 2010"), was to shrink German employees rights to next to zero, dumping the income and create a whole new part of the populous, the working poor. Social welfare is now for people from the middle east and German workers that get the sack at, say age 50 or 55, are doomed. They will, after one year, go to "HartzIV" which means to get stripped of everything of value before the welfare kicks in. Meaning sell your life insurance, use whatever savings for your pension age you have, sell your house, should it be greater than 160 square meters etcetc.
And Angela Merkel keeps this course true and well.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: on a blue balloon
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Can anyone say whether Air Berlin is a low cost carrier?
This question has nothing to do with their fares.
If their fares are low and their costs are high they're doomed.
"Concentrate on higher yielding markets" and they're probably doomed.
Simple.
This question has nothing to do with their fares.
If their fares are low and their costs are high they're doomed.
"Concentrate on higher yielding markets" and they're probably doomed.
Simple.