Air Berlin plans business class on short-haul flights
aTP- Arab tourism portal News – Air Berlin, Germany’s second largest airline, is planning to introduce a business class service on short-haul flights in Europe, as part of a restructuring designed to return it to profitability.
Air Berlin, mostly known for its tourist flights to Majorca, has made a net loss in seven of the last eight years and has been trying to reduce debts and improve results by cutting routes and costs.
The carrier is 29 per cent owned by Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad, which has bought up stakes in several airlines across the globe to expand its own network.Air Berlin is now trying to attract higher paying business travellers by increasing long-haul services, especially to the United States, as well as adding the short-haul business class service.
It is also scrapping free drinks and snacks for economy customers on short-haul flights, and will now offer a buy-on-board menu.Bringing in a business class will not require any refurbishment of its planes, because only the first row, which already has more leg room, will be used.
The middle seat will be left free to give passengers more space. Other European carriers operate a similar business class on short-haul flights.Air Berlin said it would introduce the business class and buy-on-board concept "this year", without being more specific."We are making key strategic decisions that will pave the way to a sustainable future for the company and that will clearly position Air Berlin in the premium sector of European airlines," chief executive Stefan Pichler said in a statement.
Berlin declined to comment on the costs involved.It will expand its route network to the US from its main bases in Berlin and Duesseldorf by 50 percent for summer 2017 to destinations such as San Francisco and Orlando.
Pichler said Air Berlin expected demand from start-ups for the Berlin-San Francisco routes, and highlighted Orlando’s conference schedule as of interest for business travellers.
There has been speculation Lufthansa is interested in taking over some of Air Berlin’s operations on routes outside Berlin and Duesseldorf to expand its Eurowings budget arm."We are not going to be cooperating with anyone and entering commercial deals with anyone who does not increase our profitability," Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said on Tuesday.Air Berlin will report second quarter results on August 11.
