21.09.2011 – 08:01

Air Berlin PLC

EANS-News: Air Berlin PLC & Co. Luftverkehrs KG
airberlin strives to improve earnings by EUR 200 million

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Company Information/Strategic Management Decisions

Subtitle: More than 30 work groups deployed within the "Shape and Size" program

Berlin (euro adhoc) - With "Shape and Size", airberlin's Board has launched a
comprehensive program to increase the company's efficiency and productivity. The
core of the program announced in August involves improving the processes and
optimizing the entire organization of the company. In more than 30 work groups,
senior executives, under guidance of the Board, have identified targets which
have potential to bring about and secure profitability and competitiveness. The
main focus lies on process organization, marketing and distribution, cost
reduction, flight routing and maintenance. A substantial contribution should
result from an optimization of the flight network and the fleet structure. By
the summer of 2012, airberlin aims to reduce its current fleet of 170 aircraft
to 152 aircraft, i.e. a reduction of 10 percent. In this context, flight
performance would only be lowered by four percent, and the productivity per
aircraft would therefore be increased by approximately 200 hours per year. The
"Shape & Size" program strives to improve earnings by a total of approximately
EUR 200 million.

As Hartmut Mehdorn stated: "We are currently operating in a turbulent
environment, both in terms of competition and economic conditions. In order to
secure the company's future for the long term and to restore airberlin's former
strength, every single company division will be scrutinized over the coming
months. However, we will not economize with respect to our clients, our service,
and our safety."

According to airberlin's CEO, an intensive scrutiny of the corporate strategy
did not reveal any grounds for changing the current business model. airberlin
stands for tourism and scheduled flights, will continue to focus on the
expansion of its four hubs, in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Palma de Mallorca and Vienna,
and will become a full member of the global airline alliance, oneworld®, in the
spring of 2012, emphasized Mehdorn.

As the project progresses, airberlin will provide more detailed information on
the implementation of individual measures.


Further inquiry note:
Uwe Berlinghoff
Director Corporate Communications
Tel.: +49 30 3434 1500
Fax:  +49 30 3434 1509
Mail:  abpresse@airberlin.com

end of announcement                               euro adhoc 
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company:     Air Berlin PLC & Co. Luftverkehrs KG
             The Hour House, High Street 32
             UK-WD3 1ER Rickmansworth, Herts
phone:       +49 (0)30 3434 1500
FAX:         +49 (0)30/3434-1049
mail:         abpresse@airberlin.com
WWW:         http://www.airberlin.com
sector:      Air Transport
ISIN:        GB00B128C026
indexes:     SDAX, Classic All Share, Prime All Share
stockmarkets: regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurt, free trade: Berlin,
             Hamburg, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, München 
language:   English