Air Berlin to Rebrand LTU’s U.S.-Bound Flights

Air Berlin received final German government approval in August for its takeover of Düsseldorf-based LTU, and in September it announced that LTU’s U.S. flights will be rebranded as Air Berlin by November.

That rebranding also is coming with lower fares and seamless connections in Düsseldorf to other German cities and other European destinations, said Air Berlin spokeswoman Angelika Schwaff.

Air Berlin is Europe’s third- largest low-cost carrier as measured by passengers carried, and the destinations it serves from its Düsseldorf hub include Berlin; Munich; Barcelona, Spain; Copenhagen, Denmark; Helsinki, Finland; London (Stansted); Milan, Italy (Bergamo); Paris; Rome; Vienna; and Zurich.

Air Berlin is upgrading business-class service from Düsseldorf to New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Fort Myers, Fla. (as well as to Beijing and Shanghai) with lie-flat seats and other enhancements. Installation begins this month and should be completed on all aircraft by next spring.

Air Berlin’s LTU acquisition comes on the heels of its August 2006 acquisition of Munich-based low-cost carrier DBA, and before its just-finalized deal to acquire charter carrier Condor from Thomas Cook and Lufthansa. The latter is a two-stage deal that will give it control in 2009 and complete ownership in 2010. One of the benefits will be Condor’s landing slots at Frankfurt.