Lufthansa Group plans on expanding its flight plan in Berlin, stationing a modern Airbus fleet at the new airport, creating several hundred new jobs and investing more than 60 million Euro in 2012.
Carsten Spohr, CEO of Lufthansa German Airlines, said, “The opening of the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport, ‘Willy Brandt’, in June next year will provide an extra impetus and new market opportunities. We are investing in Berlin and are determined to seize a disproportionate share of capacity growth at BER in future.”
The goal for the Lufthansa Group is to deploy a total of 35 aircraft for routes to and from Berlin beginning in the summer of 2012. They will also station an Airbus fleet of 15 jets from the A320 family at BER Airport. More than 200 additional flight attendants and approximately 130 pilots are needed for the new Lufthansa jets. The Lufthansa Group and its partner airlines currently account for a quarter of the 21 million passengers in Berlin and they hope to increase this share with the new aircraft.
The new flight plan, which will begin June 3, 2012, includes 38 non-stop Lufthansa connections. Passengers who fly from Berlin or Brandenburg will also be able to choose from 28 new European destinations and two new Middle Eastern destinations. In connection with the other airlines in the Lufthansa Group and Star Alliance partners, there will be a total of 49 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. This will represent a fivefold increase in capacity, as well as a 40 percent increase in the number of seats available from Berlin.
In addition, a new A380 aircraft is being constructed to take off as the first scheduled Lufthansa flight, during the official opening ceremony on June 3, 2012. It will carry the name of ‘Berlin’, in honor of Lufthansa’s commitment to the city.
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