PHX Flyer From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 436 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 years 6 months 1 week 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 5655 times:
Air Berlin announced a major expansion at Cologne/Bonn airport yesterday.
The following is a compilation of several news releases and press reports, unfortunately all of them in German.
Most of this is due to the partial take-over of former TUIfly routes. However, it was widely anticipated that AB would pare down the CGN operation. The planned capacity increases are therefore quite astounding.
Here are some highlights:
- 32 nonstop destinations during the winter 2009/10 season
- increase CGN-TXL from 48 to 62/week (up to 4 flights per day on A321 (all-coach, 210 seats))
- frequency increase on routes to HAM, INN, FMM, VLC, VCE
- By summer 2010 more than 320 weekly departures, incl. new routes to TLV, ALG, RMI, PSA, BDS, FAO
- Frequency increase on routes to CTA, CFU, AGP, SZG, TFS and VLC
- Daily use of A330-300 to PMI (all-coach, 387 seats!)
- Overall 160 additional departures per week by next summer, which constitutes 100% growth.
On top of that an AB executive has announced a whopping 25% growth rate thereafter.
BrouAviation From Netherlands, joined Jun 2009, 981 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (3 years 6 months 1 week 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 5490 times:
LH is not going to like that, not only because they now get more competition on their routes like CGN-HAM and CGN-TXL, but also because it will affect Germanwings, owned by LH.
Never ask somebody if he's a pilot. If he is, he will let you know soon enough!
Always nice to see regular widebody operations intra-Europe! What other routes will they use this aircraft for?
Germany-PMI is a huge market and AB is a large carrier here. AB flies 3x daily CGN-PMI, next to numerous (multiple daily) departures from DUS, FRA, DTM, etc.
Wow, ALG ! Certainly a surprise ! I'm in the planning stage of my 3rd trip to Algeria next summer, and once again have to struggle to find a decent fare.
I just checked the AB website and found a very interesting 208 EUR return (all taxes and fees included) in the middle of the summer, which is *significantly* below alternatives... The only problem is the horrible timing of the flights though (midnight arrival in ALG, 1:30 am departure from ALG), which is not suitable to my needs (travelling with my child). Will have to stick to Iberia I guess...
However, it's very interesting to see a newcomer on the Europe-ALG route offering lower fares, especially for the busy summer season. Last time I flew AB, the (pleasant) experience was a mix of LCC with a "legacy" carrier touch (free drink / snack, seat selection, FF program, ...). Can AB be considered as a LCC ? Do they market themselves as such (I don't think so, correct me if I'm wrong). If so, it would be a very interesting "first" for Algeria...
Regards
BrusselsSouth
Edited to add : the CGN - ALG flight is only once weekly, from June 19th until September 19th, at least according to Air Berlin website
MHG From Germany, joined Dec 2004, 671 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (3 years 6 months 1 week 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 4486 times:
Quoting BrusselsSouth (Reply 4): Can AB be considered as a LCC ? Do they market themselves as such (I don't think so, correct me if I'm wrong). If so, it would be a very interesting "first" for Algeria...
AB definitely is not a LCC !
(they don´t market themselves as such anyway)
I´d rather say they are a budget carrier !
(e.g. still offering free 20kg baggage allowance/snacks/soft drinks/online check-in)
Mbe0002 From Germany, joined Feb 2007, 23 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (3 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 3781 times:
Quoting MHG (Reply 5): AB definitely is not a LCC !
I agree - although they are often mentioned to be a LCC. Air Berlin offer flights from major Airports like FRA and their service is comparable to LH on demestic and european routes.
Tobias2702 From Germany, joined Sep 2008, 643 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (3 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 3760 times:
Most of the new AB routes seem to be ex X3 (like TXL, INN, SZG, FMM, VCE, CTA, PMI, TFS, TLV, RMI, PSA, BDS). So, what does this lead to an increase of overall flights out of CGN at all?
PA, AF, UK, BA, AB, DL, LH, FR, BD, A3, EZY, DY //// A319/320/346, B733/735/73G/738/744/763, AT4, 146, CR2, DH4
PHX Flyer From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 436 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (3 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 2556 times:
Quoting Avianca (Reply 10): any chance that AB could goes on longhaul from CGN?
Funny you should ask. This exact question came up in one of the news articles I gathered my information from. The director of sales of Air Berlin, Mr. Altman denies it, whereas the airport director, Mr. Garvens, stated that this would be announced in the not so distant future.
As a matter of fact, LTU, which now operates long hauls under the Air Berlin brand, was in negotiations with CGN regarding intercontinental flights (to JFK amongst others) in 2004/5.
CGN management broke off the talks eventually because LTU was demanding revenue guarantees, which the airport refused to give. Also, at the same time Continental was indicating interest in CGN, this may have also played a role in the decision making.
IMO, it would make a lot of sense, if AB moved some, if not all long hauls to CGN, since it has no slot restrictons, which would allow them to coordinate ideal connecting schedules. Also, CGN has a longer runway, which would eleimate weight penalties on ultra-long hauls, like South Africa or US west coast. In addition, AB would avoid direct competition with LH at DUS. So I think it may happen, but first AB will need to have its domestic and European opration firmly established at CGN, maybe in 2-3 years.
Vfw614 From Germany, joined Dec 2001, 3593 posts, RR: 5 Reply 14, posted (3 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 2442 times:
4U already flies to DUB from CGN, and IIRC in the beginning it was even more than daily. By now, it has become a seasonal route with just 3 or 4 flights a week, if I am not mistaken. And X3 had a short-lived service to Ireland in addition to the long-time EI services from DUS and the Ryanair flights from the wastelands that serve the Rhine region.
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