Air Berlin under pressure

The German Federal Aviation Authority LBA wants to withdraw important flight rights of Etihad Airways. Etihad has received a written notice of LBA in early August. The flight rights were approved contrary to the existing air services agreements, a statement said.

The dispute is around 30 codeshare flights flown by Air Berlin – mainly flights from Berlin to other european countries. Stakeholder Etihad puts its own EY code on these flights for instance between Berlin and Helsinki. So Air Berlin flights are better utilized and Etihad can offer its customers a broader network.

Neither the Department or the Federal Aviation Authority, Air Berlin and Etihad still wanted to officially comment on details.

In Germany Etihad flies to Frankfurt, Munich and Dusseldorf. Air Berlin is flying from Berlin-Tegel to Abu Dhabi and soon also from Stuttgart and Hamburg to Abu Dhabi.