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Air Berlin

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{{Infobox_Airline | airline=Air Berlin| logo=airberlin.gif| logo_size=150px| fleet_size=50| destinations=80| IATA=AB| ICAO=BER| callsign=Air Berlin| parent=| founded=1978| headquarters=Berlin, Germany Berlin, Germany| key_people=Joachim Hunold, Elke Schütt and Karl Lotz| hubs=Berlin (Schönefeld International Airport Schönefeld and Tegel International Airport Tegel), Nuremberg Airport Nuremberg, Son Sant Joan Airport Palma de Mallorca| focus_cities=Düsseldorf International Airport, Hamburg Airport, Frankfurt International Airport| frequent_flyer=Top Bonus| lounge=| alliance=| website= http://www.airberlin.com| }} '''Air Berlin''' {{Airline codes|AB|BER|Air Berlin}} is a major Low-cost carrier low-cost airline based in Berlin, Germany. It operates scheduled services from a range of German airports. The airline carried over 12 million passengers in 2004.

History
The airline was established in July 1978 and started operations in April 1979 as an United States American Oregon-based company named "Air Berlin USA" flying services out of West-Berlin. Only airlines belonging to the World War II Allies were allowed to fly from Berlin until German reunification in October 1990. Initial charter flights began in 1979 with a Boeing 707 to Palma de Mallorca. Even today, the so called '''Majorca Shuttle''' to Germany's favorite holiday island is one of Air Berlin's busiest routes. Air Berlin is also the biggest airline on Majorca. Palma de Mallorca is also used a airline hub hub with about a dozen flights from/to Germany connecting to destinations in the Iberian Peninsula. After German reunification in 1990, German investors took over the majority of shares and the airline was registered under German law and renamed Air Berlin. Holiday charter flights, which previously were restricted to Berlin, were now flown from other German airports, including Mönchengladbach, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Bremen (city) Bremen, Münster, Nürnberg and Hamburg. Due to airline deregulation in the European Union these flights are now operated as scheduled flights. The airline started scheduled flights to European business capitals, such as London, Zurich, Vienna and Barcelona, in the late 1990s using some of its aircraft for these so called "City Shuttles" in the early morning/late evening and using these same aircraft to serve popular tourist destinations during the middle of the day. Image:Air Berlin - Boeing B737-800 (D-ABBF).jpg thumb|right|350px|Air Berlin Boeing 737-800 at Düsseldorf airport By the end of 1981 the fleet had been changed to the Boeing 737. In 2003, the whole fleet consisted of this aircraft type, with some model -400, mostly model -800, and 3 leased BAe 146 aircraft. Air Berlin also became Germany's second largest airline after Lufthansa. In January 2004, Air Berlin announced cooperation with former Formula One driver Niki Lauda's newly founded airline Niki. The two airlines considered their cooperation a "low fares alliance". Air Berlin now holds 24% of Lauda's enterprise. In November 2004 Air Berlin and its Austrian partner Fly Niki announced the joint purchase of 110 Airbus A320s. A firm order for 70 aircraft has been placed, 60 of which will be delivered to Air Berlin and 10 to FlyNiki. They have an option to purchase a further 40 aircraft. Delivery of the planes is expected to start in September 2005. Air Berlin is owned by Reidun and Kim Lundgren (26%), Hans-Joachim Knieps (26%), Severin and Rudolf Schulte (25%), Werner Huehn (15%) and Joachim Hunold (9%).

Destinations
For a full list of destinations served by Air Berlin, see Air Berlin destinations.

Fleet
The Air Berlin fleet consists of the following aircraft (at March 2006): *4 Airbus A320 Airbus A320-200 (54 on order*) *5 Boeing 737 Boeing 737-400 *3 Boeing 737 Boeing 737-700 *38 Boeing 737 Boeing 737-800 *3 Fokker F100 ^{* Air Berlin are taking 60 of a 70 A320-200 joint purchase with Niki

External links

- Air Berlin

- Air Berlin Fleet Detail

- Air Berlin Passenger Opinions

- Photos of Air Berlin aircraft

Category:Airlines of Germany
Category:Low-cost airlines
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