Germany’s Air Berlin Gets Green Light to Buy LTU

The German Federal Cartel office has approved Air Berlin’s acquisition of LTU. In March of this year Air Berlin announced its intent to acquire 100 percent of LTU International Airlines, one of Germany’s leading leisure carriers.

The agreement was pending final review and approval of Federal Cartel office. The merger has now been approved making the Air Berlin Group the largest airline in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany with a catch area around Düsseldorf of approximately 18 million inhabitants.

LTU will remain a legally independent company within the Air Berlin Group with its own management, but there will be a seamless integration of LTU’s routes into Air Berlin’s network in the European market thus providing North American passengers more destinations throughout Europe.

Through the acquisition of LTU, Air Berlin will become the fourth largest airline for European traffic, behind Ryan Air, Air France/KLM and Lufthansa.