GERMANY: Air Berlin joins airline alliance 'oneworld'

Record ID: 471070

  • Title: GERMANY: Air Berlin joins airline alliance 'oneworld'
  • Date: 21st March 2012
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (MARCH 20, 2012) (REUTERS) AIRBERLIN PLANE WITH 'ONEWORLD' SIGNAGE/AIRBERLIN CEO HARTMUT MEHDORN AND REPRESENTATIVES OF JOINED AIRLINES STANDING MEHDORN STANDING VARIOUS OF AIRBERLIN FLIGHT ATTENDANTS STANDING VARIOUS OF MEHDORN AND OTHERS AT PHOTO OPPORTUNITY SIGN OF NEW BERLIN AIRPORT BERLIN BRANDENBURG (BER)/MEHDORN AND FLIGHT ATTENDANTS INFRONT OF
  • Embargoed: 5th April 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany, Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Business,Economic News,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA758QYMG6FXALJ0ZGV7M1VZ10M
  • Story Text: Germany's second biggest airline, Air Berlin, along with its subsidiary irberlinNIKI, joined the the global airline alliance 'oneworld' on Tuesday (March 20).
    Both airlines will now offer oneworld's services and benefits - substantially expanding the alliance's network in Germany, Austria and throughout central and south Europe.
    The airline said in a statement that the new partnership would strengthen Air Berlin's competitiveness.
    CEO Hartmut Mehdorn told Reuters that joining the alliance would result in more services for customers.
    "We are able to offer our customers a wide range of flights throughout the entire world. More than 800 destinations world-wide, collecting miles is easier - if you fly with American Airlines, you can use your miles with Air Berlin to Palma," he said.
    For 'oneworld', Air Berlin's addition makes Germany a home market for the alliance - stepping up competition for some 200 million passengers a year flying to, from and within one of Europe's biggest economy.
    "Berlin is a very attractive city," said Mehdorn.
    "Air Berlin has flown more passengers to Berlin every year. That helps Berlin. I think it was very wise of Air Berlin to open this new airport which is very functional, which the capital needs. Don't ask why only now, it should have happened twenty years ago, but now it is here and we are very happy."
    Currently Germany is one of only a handful of countries worldwide served by all oneworld's active member airlines.
    Air Berlin serves a total of 162 destinations in 40 countries. Almost 70 of those, along with Iceland and Iraq, are new to the oneworld network, extending its global coverage to some 800 destinations in 150 countries, generating annual revenues of almost $100 billion.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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