Andreas Bierwirth
When Germanwings recently signed a new sales and marketing agreement with Centralwings, Dr Andreas Bierwirth, the German carrier's vp, said he wanted to see “pan-European co-operation between airlines according to the Wings concept.”
It was a bold vision for an airline just establishing itself in the frighteningly competitive European market.
As Dr Bierwirth pointed out himself, only two low cost caries in Europe have really become brand names, Ryanair and easyJet and Germanwings is not ready to challenge either – yet.
But the fledgling low cost carrier, part of the Lufthansa group, has already made huge strides since its launch in October 2002. It now serves more than 30 destinations in 18 European countries from its two hubs at Cologne/Bonn and Stuttgart and it moved into “a small profit” for the first time in 2004.
But what is more interesting is its readiness to work with other low cost carriers in a cut throat market where low cost carriers come and go.
His vision, surprisingly for a low cost carrier, also encompasses doing deals with companies which have frequent business on set routes, like London-Cologne. This is a step many no frill operators have declined to take.
The first deal which Germanwings did was last March with the UK no frills operator bmibaby. This is an agreement to develop sales opportunities for both carriers. But it was not ideal. “We fly to the UK but they do not fly to Germany so it is a little bit weak for us. It is not a win-win situation for us,” Dr Bierwirth said.
It is the second deal, signed in January with Centralwings, a Polish low cost carrier and part of the LOT group, which really marks the start of his pan-European vision.”
“Poland is the second biggest market in terms of population in Europe so we are building up co-operation with them,” he said.
The deal is strictly a sales and marketing agreement which extends to co-operation at airports, like using similar handling agents. The aim is share resources and save money.
“We can be active in the Polish market but we now do not need to do our own marketing in the country nor Centralwings in Germany.
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