Air berlin to join Oneworld

[Oneworldplus2]

Just saw this on flyertalk. Very exciting news!

oneworld - News

Air Berlin to join oneWorld - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[Keith009]

Nice! I have heard good things about AB from friends who've flown them. I thought they were some sort of LCC, but they seem to have a fairly comprehensive offering according to their website. Business Class, free food/drinks in the main cabin, FFP - the works. A pretty decent list of destinations though, far more comprehensive than, say, MA.

 

[drron]

For OW any news is good news.The major advantage I can see in the future is the ability to fly into another European port from Africa and NA.
Await the details.

 

[anat0l]

A pretty decent list of destinations though, far more comprehensive than, say, MA.

And let's hope a bit more solid than MA.

They seem to come across as a mature LCC (or an immature full cost carrier), but I'm very happy to be proven wrong if it means another solid carrier for oneworld in Europe.

 

[JetLagged]

My immediate thoughts echo those of other respondants: in particular for us, able to fly from Berlin to Rome without having to go via London (plans for 2011).

 

[futaris]

topbonus will need to be upgraded.

24 EQS or 20,000 EQM for Silver (OW Ruby?)
40,000 EQM for Gold (OW Sapphire?)

 

[jsoprano]

Good news! For oneworld and AB . Yes, AB marketed themselves as a LCC in the past, but they are nothing like that. As others mentioned: free checked baggage, free F&B, frequent flyer points, connecting flights, a business class on long-haul flights etc. Always enjoyed to fly with them in Germany.

Hope this will bring a push to the new Berlin Airport, opening May next year. With an even stronger home carrier as part of a global alliance, we might see more connections of oneworld pax via BER???

Pity for Qantas is that AB only serves few routes from FRA that would offer connectivity to QF5/6, only the TXL route comes to mind, plus the routes to Spanish "sun-seeker" destinations.

 

[kezsco]

I wonder if Qantas will change QF5/6 from Frankfurt to Berlin? That would be great for me... no more London airport mess or Frankfurt and train hassle!

 

[anat0l]

I wonder if Qantas will change QF5/6 from Frankfurt to Berlin? That would be great for me... no more London airport mess or Frankfurt and train hassle!

Can they get landing rights for Berlin? Or could they do a fifth freedom (perhaps this is impractical) FRA-BER?

Frankfurt to Berlin by train isn't very far, although still an inconvenience per se. But that could be another idea (codeshare on a DB service; you wouldn't get points or any elite benefits, though).

It seems AB also has a hub in DUS.

They don't have an extensive lounge network. I guess if they join they'll mostly piggy back off the existing ow lounge network, but they don't have many lounges in the cities which are served by no other oneworld airline*

 

[jsoprano]

Can they get landing rights for Berlin?

Don't see a problem from the regulatory side, as they would just shift their current FRA rights to BER (haven't checked this though, so please don't hang me if I am wrong). However, the new BER will have a curfew between midnight and 5:00 AM (with a lawsuit still outstanding about extending it to 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM). So this would probably cause some headaches as current flight ops of QF5/6 are just around these hours. But honestly I would only believe this once it is announced by QF, I wouldn't hold my breath.

BER airport certainly would offer them a great package, as they are trying to establish BER as a new intercontinental hub. As Lufthansa is not willing, I assume they would grab every oportunity to proof them wrong.

 

[docjames]

Will the 787-8 make SIN-BER? What about if painted with an orange tail?


Seriously, QF must be looking seriously at flights into BER, it would be great to have better intra-europe options than having to go to LHR and then back.

 

[NM]

I wonder if Qantas will change QF5/6 from Frankfurt to Berlin? That would be great for me... no more London airport mess or Frankfurt and train hassle!

I doubt they would. Frankfurt remains the business/financial centre of Germany and that is where the business traffic goes.

 

[kezsco]

Will the 787-8 make SIN-BER? What about if painted with an orange tail?

Jetstar in BER! Even better. Starclass to Europe (I am a self funded Y traveller, so I can never afford anything other than QF economy). Then transfer to an AB flight.

 

[philflyer]

I love Air Berlin! I have flown with them a few times in and out of Tegel. I would definitely consider using them from Nth America or Asia to get up to Berlin and further. My checked luggage was overweight by several kilos on my last flight and they didn't say a word about it. Free food on board and free newspapers served by super friendly people. They don't look like an LCC to me.

I feel a trip to Berlin coming on.

 

[codash1099]

Anything that expands the options is welcome.

Now we can only hope for an alternative to AA in the US.

 

[NM]

Jetstar in BER! Even better. Starclass to Europe (I am a self funded Y traveller, so I can never afford anything other than QF economy). Then transfer to an AB flight.

JetStar is not a OneWorld Alliance member so Air Berlin being a OneWorld Member is unlikely to influence route decisions for JetStar.

 

[kezsco]

JetStar is not a OneWorld Alliance member so Air Berlin being a OneWorld Member is unlikely to influence route decisions for JetStar.

That's true.. shattered my wishful thinking I had there. If JQ did fly there, I would have had been looking at starclass to BER, and collecting FF points and status on QFF. oh well...

The are saying the new BER airport in 2012 will be pretty good when they move AB across from Tegel...

 

[markis10]

JetStar is not a OneWorld Alliance member so Air Berlin being a OneWorld Member is unlikely to influence route decisions for JetStar.

JetStar is not a OneWorld Alliance member yet! I would not be surprised if that changes soon, QF are definitely looking at hitting europe hard ex SIN to battle the middle eastern push using the orange star as the spearhead. Not sure if they will have * class in the 787 to start with if they plan on 313 seats which is what they have stated.

 

[pauly7]

JetStar is not a OneWorld Alliance member...

Not yet NM...... Mmmmm

 

[kamchatsky]

Good news to OW! Now all they need is to find a decent airline in Africa to fill the gaps .....