17.11.2011 – 07:53

Air Berlin PLC

EANS-News: Air Berlin PLC & Co. Luftverkehrs KG
Aviation tax puts a burden on Air Berlin PLC´s earnings

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Financial Figures/Balance Sheet/9-month report/Q3 figures 2011

Subtitle: 3rd quarter: Air Berlin PLC increases revenue to EUR 1.375 billion /
Capacity slightly reduced, yield and capacity utilization improved / With EUR
200 million, "Shape & Size" program is on the right track


London/Berlin (euro adhoc) - In the third quarter of 2011, Air Berlin PLC was
able to increase the yield (revenue per passenger) from EUR 110.94 to EUR 116.61
(excluding aviation tax), i.e. an increase of 5.1 percent over the corresponding
period of the previous year. At the same time, the seat load factor increased by
1.7 percentage points, to 84.1 percent. Capacity was reduced by 0.5 percent, to
13.4 million seats. In quarterly comparison from Q3/2010 to Q3/2011, Air Berlin
PLC´s revenue increased by 10.8 percent, i.e. from EUR 1.241 billion to EUR
1.375 billion. For the same period, EBITDAR (earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation, amortization and leasing expenses) decreased from 
EUR 336.4 million to EUR 269.3 million; EBIT (operating result before interest
and taxes) dropped from EUR 171.7 million to EUR 96.8 million, whereas, in the
previous year, positive one-time gains of EUR 26.3 million were recorded.
Without the aviation tax, EBIT would have amounted to EUR 148.3 million. Net
profit decreased from EUR 135.9 million to EUR 30.2 million. Air Berlin PLC's
total equity is 14 percent (end of 2010: 21 percent) and net indebtedness
amounts to EUR 644 million (end of the previous year: EUR 489 million).

airberlin's CEO Hartmut Mehdorn pleaded again for the abolition of the aviation
tax. At the presentation of the figures for the third quarter of 2011 on
Thursday, Mehdorn stated: "Due to the tough competition, it is impossible to
pass on the tax to the customers. The aviation tax is damaging the low-margin
airline industry in Germany."  Furthermore, the aviation tax, which was
announced as a precursor of the emissions trading scheme, renders all efforts
geared towards sustainability absurd, since the tax does not take CO2 emissions
into account, emphasized Mehdorn. The evaluation of the aviation tax, which the
authorities have scheduled for next year, should urgently be brought forward. In
addition to the aviation tax, high oil prices as well as strikes and 
announced strikes by the air traffic controllers prevented airberlin from
achieving a better result for the third quarter - despite improved capacity
utilization and increased revenue per passenger.

Ulf Hüttmeyer, airberlin's CFO, emphasized that the efficiency improvement
program, "Shape & Size", which airberlin implemented in the summer and comprises
more than 30 working groups, is well on its way towards sustainably positioning
the company in a profitable manner for the future. As Hüttmeyer stated:
"According to the present status, I am of the opinion that the program will
already accomplish savings amounting to approximately EUR 200 million in the
coming year."


Further inquiry note:
Uwe Berlinghoff
Director Corporate Communications airberlin
phone:   +49 30 3434 1500
fax:     +49 30 3434 1509
e-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