airberlin inks deal with Sabre

Airberlin group has selected global technology provider Sabre Corporation to provide a full suite of technology software to support the carrier’s global business. The long-term agreement will see the airline move to an integrated platform for a broad range of critical airline operations including SabreSonic Customer Sales & Service (CSS) passenger reservations system, inventory, check-in, eCommerce, data insights and network management.

Using Sabre’s robust and flexible software, airberlin will be able to further optimize daily operations, drive incremental revenues and provide guests with a more personal travel experience through targeted flight offers and tailored services.

Ensuring a seamless transition to Sabre will be a major focus for the airline, and it is wholly committed to providing continued functionality to its business partners, including travel agencies, tour operators, price comparison websites and global distribution providers. 

Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, Chief Executive Officer, airberlin said: “With Sabre, we get an integrated solution from a single provider which will enable us to achieve our commercial goals and become more efficient in many areas. The Sabre software will also help us deal with requests from our flights guests on a more individual level, enabling us to offer them an even more personal travel experience.”

“The move to Sabre supports airberlin’s strategy to work with its airline partners, in particular Etihad Airways, to drive business efficiencies and offer an even better, more consistent experience for guests. We will continue to be a strong and reliable partner to our associates like travel agencies, tour operators and corporates in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and globally,” Prock-Schauer continued.

Tom Klein, Chief Executive Officer, Sabre said: “airberlin is embarking on an exciting journey to create world-class efficiencies in line with its customer-first approach, and we are proud to be selected as the technology partner that will help enable this. Europe is a key growth region for Sabre, and airberlin joins a growing number of European carriers who have selected Sabre. We will work closely with airberlin in the coming years to support their business and unlock innovation opportunities, leveraging the latest data, mobile and personalisation trends.” 

Sabre’s technology is favored by 225 airlines worldwide including most of the world’s largest carriers. Its flexible and scalable software allows airlines to operate how they want to, and adapt their business to changing needs and requirements. It optimizes day-to-day airline operations and ultimately helps airlines solve their biggest challenges – to increase revenues, reduce costs and deliver better travel experiences.

The migration to Sabre’s passenger reservations system begins this summer, continuing into 2016. Beginning July this year, airberlin will start using Sabre’s network management tools.

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Airberlin: smartphones and tablets can now be used during take-off and landing

Air Berlin is now following the concept already in place for most US based airlines.

airberlin guests can now use their personal electronic devices on almost all of the airline’s short, medium and long-haul flights during take-off, landing and taxiing, providing the devices are in flight mode. This will make flying with airberlin even more enjoyable for flight guests as personal electronic devices in flight mode can now be used during all flight phases across almost the entire airberlin fleet.

"Modern flight guests want uninterrupted access to their personal electronic devices, even while on board, rather than having to switch them on and off again several times. airberlin is now making this possible. Personal electronic devices can be used throughout entire flights on all the planes in our Airbus and Boeing fleet providing their transmission function is disabled. Once the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) relaxed the regulations, it was extremely important to us to implement the changes as quickly as possible. To do so, airberlin obtained the necessary technical certifications and the necessary official permits for required procedures from the Federal Aviation Office," said Oliver Lackmann, Head of Flight Operations at airberlin.

airberlin is one of the leading airlines in Europe and flies to 147 destinations worldwide. The second largest airline in Germany carried more than 31.5 million passengers in 2013. airberlin offers a global route network through its strategic partnership with Etihad Airways, which has a 29.21% share in airberlin, and through membership of the oneworld® airline alliance. The airline with the award-winning service operates codeshare flights worldwide with 16 airlines. The fleet has an average age of five years and is among the most modern and eco-efficient in Europe.

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Etihad Airways urges speedy restructuring of Air Berlin

Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways on Monday called for an "accelerated and fundamental restructuring" of Air Berlin , after the German airline's largest shareholder injected cash into the loss-making carrier.

Air Berlin said late on Sunday night Etihad has subscribed to a convertible bond worth 300 million euros (246 million pounds) and the Gulf airline has also agreed to extend a $255 million loan by another five years.

“The airline is clearly in a very challenging position," Etihad's Chief Executive James Hogan said in a statement following Air Berlin's announcement.

"However, we are confident the business is moving in the right direction, and can be turned around but it needs an accelerated and fundamental restructuring."

Air Berlin on Sunday named Marco Ciomperlik, currently its chief maintenance officer, to its management board to oversee a restructuring programme for the airline.

The German airline had said last month it was in talks over certain options that prompted speculation that Etihad could gain more control over the carrier.

But Hogan said Etihad would remain a "strategic minority investor" in Air Berlin. The German airline also said its recapitalisation would not change the ownership structure.

"Etihad Airways believes Air Berlin can become a sustainably profitable business, securing the jobs of its 8,900 employees and the many thousands more workers it indirectly supports,” he said, adding that Etihad is looking at a long-term benefits of the partnership and is committed to the strategy.

Etihad, which is backed by Abu Dhabi's oil wealth, is using a combination of equity alliances and organic growth to expand its global reach and compete with fast-growing regional rivals Emirates [EMIRA.UL] and Qatar Airways.

It took a 29.2 percent stake in the struggling German airline in 2011 and also extended a $255 million loan to the carrier. The Gulf airline later took a majority stake in Air Berlin's frequent flyer programme helping the carrier post its first profit in five year in 2012.

Air Berlin still reported a 2013 loss before interest and tax (EBIT) of 231.9 million euros, compared with a year-earlier profit of 70.2 million.

The European Union is looking into whether Etihad exercises more control than allowed under the region's rules for airlines with a European operating licence.

Etihad also has also minority stakes in a number of other airlines, including Virgin Australia , Aer Lingus and India's Jet Airways .

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Norwegian Air: we are not courting Air Berlin

Norwegian Air Shuttle, Europe's third-largest budget airline, is not in talks to buy Air Berlin, the company told Reuters on Friday, denying a report in business daily Finansavisen that it was. 

"Under normal circumstances we would not comment on such rumors and speculations in the market. But on this occasion I can deny that Norwegian Air is a potential buyer," Norwegian Air spokeswoman Anne-Sissel Skaanvik said in an interview.

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Etihad Airways reportedly will raise its share in Airberlin to 49.9%, could it be merged with Alitalia?

Ailing German airline Air Berlin, almost 30 percent owned by Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, will be delisted and Etihad will raise its stake to 49.9 percent, a German weekly reported, possibly as a prelude to combining it with Alitalia. Citing company sources, WirtschaftsWoche magazine said a group of German shareholders, among them former and current company executives, would raise their stakes to hold more than 50 percent between them, preserving the carrier's German status.

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Air Berlin in code-sharing talks with Air France

German airline Air Berlin is in talks with French carrier Air France-KLM on a code-sharing agreement as it seeks to offer its customers more routes via partnerships, its chief executive said.

"There are talks. Now we have to see what the outcome is," Wolfgang Prock-Schauer told journalists on Tuesday. "I could certainly imagine that we agree a partnership," he added. 

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Air Berlin In Codeshare Talks With Air France-KLM

Air Berlin is in talks with Air France-KLM on a code-sharing agreement as it seeks to offer its customers more routes via partnerships, its chief executive said.

"There are talks. Now we have to see what the outcome is," Wolfgang Prock-Schauer told journalists on Tuesday. "I could certainly imagine that we agree a partnership," he added.

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Etihad completes Air Serbia takeover

Etihad Airways has officially completed its 49% takeover transaction of Air Serbia. The takeover agreement  as signed by Etihad Airways CEO James Hogan and the Serbian Minister for Transport, Aleksandar Antić, in Belgrade on Tuesday, away from the media spotlight, presumably so as to avoid calls for the secretive deal to be made public.

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