British low-cost carrier easyJet wants to take over 25 Air Berlin aircraft
Berlin’s Tegel airport has lost almost half of it’s daily flights, since the last flight of insolvent German airline Air Berlin arrived there on Friday, October 27th at 11:45pm.
But now there is new hope for the main airport of Germany’s capital. British airline easyJet wants to buy 25 Air Berlin aircraft for a total of 40 million Euro – and base them at Tegel airport.
easyJet is intending to use the additional A320s on German domestic routes and on flights from Berlin’s Tegel airport.
The airline said they aim to be “the leading provider for short haul flights to and from Tegel”.
Three ex-Air Berlin routes are very likely to be transferred to the British carrier:
- TXL-Düsseldorf
- TXL-Stuttgart
- TXL-Munich
Many other routes will follow.
easyJet currently has no flights to Tegel, they are only serving secondary airport Schönefeld in Berlin. Operations to and from TXL are expected to start in winter this year.
1000 Air Berlin jobs saved
There are also good news for many Air Berlin employees, EasyJet wants to hire around 1000 of them.
On October 21st, Air Berlin’s liquidator Frank Kebekus has said Air Berlin may have to sack around 4000 employees, if no buyer other than Lufthansa can be found.
Lufthansa will take over 81 Air Berlin Group aircraft and 3000 employees, including all of subsidiary airlines Niki and LGW.
Thomas Cook owned German leisure carrier Condor is interested in taking over some Air Berlin aircraft as well, but only ‘if the conditions are good’.
According to FAZ, there will be a total of 18 ex-AB aircraft remaining, when Lufthansa is taking 81 and easyJet 25.
