Staff cuts and fleet reductions are part of airberlin's newly announced "Turbine" turnaround program to ensure that the airline - Germany's second largest -is profitable and focused on its key markets.
The two year program extends across all divisions and will include optimization of its network, fleet and timetables, improving its offering, sales and customer orientation and slim down its administration and working processes. "Turbine" hopes to save the loss plagued carrier 400 million euros by the end of 2014.
Efficient operations, greater cost-efficiency and an attractive, intelligent offering are designed to make airberlin profitable and achieve a sustainable future, the airline said. The company will continually improve its integrated business model for serving leisure and business customers.
"Turbine" will develop the company on the basis of "Lean & Smart" criteria, airberlin says. "Lean" signifies the simplest and most cost-efficient organization possible in conjunction with streamlined processes. "Smart" shifts the focus onto core markets and partnerships as well as towards integrated, intelligent and innovative customer orientation offering "that little bit extra".
The program covers all areas of operation and relationships with business partners and may involve cutting about 900 jobs, airberlin said.
airberlin said it will concentrate on profitable routes and increasing flight frequencies in key markets. These measures are specifically designed to strengthen airberlin's position in its core market, for example, the D/A/CH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland).
There will be more flights to Palma de Mallorca. The hubs in Berlin and Dusseldorf with their long-haul services are to be expanded. The airports in Vienna, Hamburg, Munich, Zurich and Stuttgart will retain their function as principal stations within the airberlin route network. airberlin also said it plans reducing the fleet to 142 aircraft in the current year.
airberlin said it already has a product with high customer acceptance and will further enhance its position with intelligent and customized services. airberlin will continue to feature an excellent price-performance ratio, the "Airline with heart" brand image and trend-setting innovations. airberlin also plans enhanced business class facilities on long-haul flights.
airberlin now flies to 170 destinations in 40 countries and has a workforce of 9,300 employees. The airline carried more than 33 million passengers in 2012 and has a global route network through its strategic partnership with Etihad Airways. airberlin isa member of the oneworld.
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