Air Berlin previously announced many long-haul route cuts effective over the next couple weeks. But the route network from Dusseldorf was mostly untouched. That changed today as the company set an 15 October 2017 date to wrap up the long-haul operations.
#airberlin stellt Langstecke zum 15. Oktober komplett ein. Auch einzelne Europa-Strecken stehen jetzt auf Streichliste.
— Michael Immel (@IMMELonAir) September 25, 2017
That part of the network is shutting down because the aircraft are leased; the real owners are taking the planes back given that the airline isn’t really keen on making those lease payments any more.
#airberlin: Passagiere müssen sich auf "weitere Anpassungen im Flugplan" in kommenden Tagen einstellen. #Luftfahrt pic.twitter.com/Br67TgZUCM
— Michael Immel (@IMMELonAir) September 25, 2017
And it is not just the long-haul routes that are changing. “Further adjustments in the timetable” are expected according to Group CEO Thomas Winkelmann in a presentation today in Germany. In other words, get ready for more flights to be scrapped as the remaining bits of the company are distributed to other airlines. Flights from Munich to Hamburg and Cologne/Bonn at the end of this week.
The news comes as Lufthansa and EasyJet are tapped as the likely winners of Air Berlin’s assets; the disposition must still be approved by EU regulators. A full announcement of what goes where is still pending. Final negotiations are expected to complete by 12 October.
The future for Air Berlin employees remains in flux, with Winkelmann hoping that approximately 80% are able to transition to positions with the new owners. That still leaves some 1,600 likely out of work when all is said and done.
Perhaps the biggest challenge for the company is remaining vaguely functional for the next several weeks while these changes are made. The cuts help reduce staffing and operational needs. They also make it hard to keep employees motivated.
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My return flight is October 13th from Salzburg, Austria to Berlin Tegel and Berlin Tegel to Los Angeles LAX via Air Berlin. Will these flights be affected?
I read that the long haul flights will end October 15th.
You’re screwed. The LAX flights are already gone (see http://blog.wandr.me/2017/09/air-berlin-longhaul-shutdown-tegel-txl/ for more details). I’d be working with Air Berlin, your travel insurance or just buying new tickets. But You’re definitely not flying that routing to get back to California from Austria.
Do make sure to visit the Augustiner beer hall in Salzburg. An amazing place.