not sure seems to be the future of MAN-PAD (where people say it will stay) and the MAN-HAM (where some people say it will be axed) routes

i dont really agree with what you think is the reason of them leaving...

if the connecting product is not working for them, or the service delivery is not right, surely they should have identified that before they start... if every airline were only starting routes (risking losing millions of ££) to test whether they can deliver them, there wouldnt be a lot of airlines around.

also, if STN is too expensive for them, why dont they use LTN for the same routes... the competition there is exactly the same, possibly even less. thats what SkyEurope does with their routes, moving them from STN to LTN.

i think the reason why they are dropping these routes is very straight forward. looking at their CAA stats, they never went over 60% on any month, on any of those routes, so didnt really make any money on them at all... in fact probably lost them millions...

Exactly who says that AB has pulled off UK domestics.

There's nothing on the AB website in news or press-releases. Also, there are so far no schedules released for STN services from or to Germany either.

Unless the stroy is coming from ACL data, then it looks as though we're looking at "hearsay m'lud".

That said, Conrad is normally on the ball.

The lady at the Air Berlin ticket desk in Manchester confirmed to me that both the MAN-STN and MAN-HAM routes will be withdrawn at the end of Summer 07. However, MAN-PAD is set to continue. It is unclear whether or not MAN-HAM will resume for the Summer period 2008.

STN schedules were released a few days ago. All planes turn now at STN.
Leipzig being dropped.

AB load factor
 

AB have very good loads on the domestic routes, over the last couple of weeks the domestic's have been full.
I dont see how EZY and AB can be compared two very different airlines offering two very different products. AB connect within there own route network and have the link with HG. EZY have none of this.
AB dont live and die by the low cost model that Southwest and Ryanair follow. In some ways AB are like Go.

The reason AB have not gone to LTN, there is not good answer, but something may be a factor. As a WIZZAIR manager put it to me. LTN still has a small image problem. I could be wrong.

Air Berlin is a mixture
1. holiday airline (most traffic)
2. full service airline (all ex dba routes)
3. a low price airline (all AB euro shuttles)

Air Berlin would have great difficulty getting the morning slots they require at Luton. All of the slots up to 08.00 local are pretty much taken.

I would guess that Air Berlin are axing the UK domestics as the past and present yields are losing them money?

Now that might be due to:

Terminal/transfer delays
UK based airlines know the UK market better
More money can be made elsewhere whilst UK interest rates are high and the resident Lo-Co's have danced the 'rain dance' to get themselves bookings during the school holidays that were massively missing?

The UK market is such that profits are made in the 3 summer months, Buster understands that the rain has at last brought bookings and income leading to survivability?

Yet another UK interest rate rise will only see a more difficult UK market. Air Berlin, a multi national operator has probably recognised this and moved spare capacity elsewhere?

You have to remember, unlike most of mainland Europe, the UK interest rates are base upon the UK economy and not that of the rest of Europe.

Transfer in STN is one of the biggest problems, because STN is not a transfer airport and coming from Germany you always have to take this stupid train to the main terminal, pass immigration and have another security control before you can return to the gate.
Even though Air Berlin has practically its own transfer point this is still not very nice.
The internal uk market is for Air Berlin additional revenue, but I think main reason for the STN-hub was for transfering passengers.

I think that when trying to operate the STN hub, AB simply did not appreciate that because the UK is not part of Schengen, and insists instead on full immigration checks on EU arrivals, this type of operation is just too difficult to manage efficiently.

Last year some friends of ours nearly missed their connection from NUE, onward to GLA because of a combination of UK Immigration and STN inefficiency.

Compare the STN hub with the far larger operation in Nürnberg. There, the hub works like clockwork. Certainly the lack of immigration controls for most of the hubbing international flights plays it's part; but then compare the efficiency of that operation, with proper staffing levels by AirPart (the handling agent) and the airport itself compared with the shambles this is "UK plc" (horrible expression) and UK airport handling in particular, where everything is done at minimum cost, with minimum staffing levels.

It's a shame since AB are generally acknowledged as being the best LoCo operator in UK in terms of service, and it's just unfortunate that they couldn't make the STN hub work.

AB drop PMI
 

Yeah AB are dropping PMI at the end of the summer too, but it might come back next summer but dont think so.

Planes used on STN-MAN route
 

Does anyone know the planes used on the STN-MAN route with Air Berlin? I have heard two different ones the Fokker 100 or B737-800:confused:

Thanks! :)

Air Berlin chop and change their aircraft type all the time. Your best looking at the timetable section on their website. This will give you what type is due in for the next three days!

I do wish that AB would offer some routes from Exeter in competition with Flybe - not because I think Flybe are bad coz I actually really enjoy flying with them, but it would give a bit more variation on the apron. I like AB colours and its a shame they wouldn't consider EXT........a F100 could be good on some routes.

MAN-STN F100,B737-300 (ex dba), B737-700 and B737-800´s are all used.
You can see the regs at: http://www.ringwayreports.co.uk/aug07scheduled.htm
MAN-HAM is operated by B737-800 or A319
MAN-PAD is operated by B737-700 or -800

Air Berlin to take over LTU
 

Air Berlin’s LTU takeover goes ahead

08.08.2007The German Federal Cartel Office has agreed to Air Berlin’s LTU acquisition without any restrictions. Already and of March Air Berlin announced the intention to buy LTU for 140 million Euro. Additionally, Air Berlin offered to pay 200 million Euro for LTU’s debts.
Air Berlin’s CEO, Joachim Hunold welcomed the decision of the Federal Cartel Office: "We finally got the strategic decision that we hoped for. Nevertheless, it is regrettable that this process took so long. Synergies
could not be exploited. We missed the chance to adjust summer flight time tables of both airlines."
From 2008 onwards the Air Berlin board is expecting to make cost savings between 70 and 100 million Euro annually. Hunold explained: "If we can achieve this, is depending as well on trade union negotiations with LTU pilots."
The LTU has 27 planes and employs almost 2,800 people. Last year the company had a turnover of 1.06 million Euro and 5.7 million passengers. After the completed takeover, LTU will operate as an independent
Air Berlin company.

Last year the company had a turnover of 1.06 million Euro and 5.7 million passengers.


Shome mishtake, surely?

airberlin
 

do you know if airberlin will be doing flights out of cardiff soon

Don't think so - they are currently axing everything (MAN, GLA, BHD, BOH) outside London and are also cutting back STN-Germany (LEJ to go, afaik).