Air Berlin

Lufthansa eyes EU green light

Berlin - Muslimchronicle

Responding to signals that the EU would veto its initial plans, the German behemoth last week ditched its bid to buy Air Berlin's Austrian unit Niki, focusing instead on the acquisition of the failed airline's smaller LGW subsidiary. "Our job is to make sure that mergers do not make European consumers worse off," EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said. "Lufthansa hasRead more

Air Berlin pilot cleared after fly-by stunt at Dusseldorf airport

Berlin - Muslimchronicle

Authorities have cleared an Air Berlin pilot who aborted his final landing at the last moment to make a low pass around a control tower. The federal agency which oversees air safety in Germany concluded the manoeuvre in Dusseldorf in October did not break rules. Videos showed the Airbus A330 from Miami, which had more than 200 people on board,Read more

In trouble as Lufthansa drops bid

Berlin - Muslimchronicle

Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) has abandoned plans to buy Air Berlin (AB1.DE) unit Niki due to competition concerns, grounding Niki and making it the latest to join the list of Europe’s collapsed airlines this year. Tough competition and falling ticket prices have led to the demise of Monarch and Air Berlin while Alitalia has filed for insolvency protection. Air Berlin filedRead more

Lufthansa gives up on buying

Frankfurt am Main - Muslimchronicle

Austrian airline Niki faced insolvency and its planes being grounded Wednesday as Lufthansa gave up on plans to buy it from bankrupt Air Berlin in the face of competition concerns from the European Commission. "Lufthansa informed Air Berlin and its insolvency managers that it will pursue the planned transaction without the purchase of Niki," the airline said in a statement. Germany's second-largest carrier triggeredRead more

EU voices concerns over Lufthansa Air Berlin bid

Brussels - Muslimchronicle

Europe’s antitrust chief expressed “quite deep competition concerns” on Friday about Lufthansa’s (LHAG.DE) plan to buy Air Berlin assets, yet another sign the German carrier may have to cough up more concessions in return for her approval of the deal. Lufthansa wants to acquire Air Berlin (AB1.DE) units Niki and LGW and expand its own budget arm Eurowings. RivalsRead more

EasyJet to buy slice of Air Berlin's Tegel operations

London - Muslimchronicle

British low-cost carrier easyJet announced on Saturday it had agreed to buy part of bankrupt carrier Air Berlin's operations at the German capital's Tegel Airport for 40 million euros ($46.4 million). EasyJet will enter into leases for up to 25 A320 aircraft and take over slots, it said, as the last Air Berlin flights were set to land back inRead more

British Airways owner IAG beats profit expectations in third quarter

London - Muslimchronicle

British Airways owner IAG reported better-than-expected quarterly profit on Friday, after an improved performance in Spain and Latin America helped to boost its income from passengers. IAG said third-quarter operating profit before exceptional items rose 20.7 percent to €1.46 billion, ahead of a company-compiled analyst consensus of €1.4 billion. The airline group, which also owns Iberia, Aer Lingus and Vueling,Read more

Air Berlin set for final farewell as carve-up talks continue

Berlin - Muslimchronicle

After almost four decades, Air Berlin’s last flight is due to land in its home city on Friday night while its administrators push to split its remaining assets among buyers. Air Berlin, beloved among Germans for its flights to holiday island Mallorca and the chocolate hearts it gives out after each flight, filed for administration in August. A government loanRead more

Germany’s Lufthansa says third-quarter profit down

Frankfurt - Muslimchronicle

German airline group Lufthansa confirmed its objectives for the full year Wednesday, even as its third-quarter profit fell. Between July and September — the key summer holiday period for European carriers — Lufthansa’s net profit fell by 17 percent year-on-year to €1.18 billion (SR5.2 billion). But the decline was largely due to an accounting effect, the airline said in aRead more

Lufthansa to swallow lion's share

Berlin - Muslimchronicle

Years of struggle for Germany's second-ranked airline Air Berlin appeared on their final stretch Thursday, as airborne behemoth Lufthansa announced plans to buy more than half the bankrupt carrier's planes. The deal has sparked controversy in the European aviation sector, with the German government facing accusations it helped steer the process under a plan to build the Frankfurt-based carrier intoRead more