Air Berlin is to open a new route from London Stansted to Munich on 5 November, 2007. The airline will fly twice-daily from Monday to Friday and once on Saturday and Sunday, competing head on with easyJet, which also offers two departures in each direction, but daily. With the winter schedules it has withdrawn its UK domestic service from Stansted to both Belfast and Manchester.
From Heathrow, bmi, British Airways and Lufthansa offer a multitude of flights, while at London City, Lufthansa goes twice-daily Monday to Friday.
Air Berlin country manager for UK and Ireland, Titus Johnson, said: "Munich is an important route for us and the ninth Air Berlin direct German destination from the United Kingdom. This is a significant new service which many of our customers have been waiting for."
Flights depart from Stansted at 08:20 in the morning and 19:15 in the evening from Monday to Friday. On Saturday it is at 08:20 and on Sunday, 19:15.
Air Berlin claims to have competitive fares and unlike its established rival on the route, offers allocated seats, complementary in-flight sandwiches, soft drinks, newspapers and its own frequent flyer scheme. Children also attract a 33% discount.
The airline serves eight points direct from Stansted to: Berlin, D”sseldorf, Hanover, Leipzig, Munich, Munster, Nuremberg and Paderborn.
Air Berlin, founded in 1978, is now Europe's third largest low-cost carrier and second to Lufthansa in Germany. Including the mainly long haul charter company LTU, which Air Berlin took over in March 2007, the airline has a fleet of 123 aircraft plus an outstanding order for 25 Boeing 737-800s (see picture above). It is quoted on the Frankfurt stock exchange.
With regard to the Belfast and Manchester routes Mr Johnson said that the original concept of connecting through Stansted to continental destinations had been superseded by new direct flights.
"Air Berlin will now concentrate on its eight direct Stansted-Germany routes."
Eastern Airways will succeed Air Berlin on Stansted-Manchester from 29 October 2007, introducing three flights each weekday, with an early morning departure aimed at business travellers: 07:15 from Manchester and 08:45 from Stansted. The flights will be operated by Jetstream 41 aircraft.