Air Berlin unveils aggressive transatlantic expansion

(Source: Internet)

Air Berlin plans to expand its service to the U.S. by more than 40% by next summer.

As part of the expansion, Germany’s second-largest carrier will make Orlando its eighth U.S. destination, joining Miami, Chicago O’Hare, Fort Myers, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston.

The increases will come on the heels of Air Berlin’s expansion to Boston and San Francisco this year and will give the carrier a combined total of 78 weekly nonstop flights to the U.S. from Berlin and Dusseldorf.

“The further expansion of our U.S. operations as of summer 2017 shows that we are determined to continue on our path to position Air Berlin as a premium network carrier with a strong U.S. footprint and an excellent proposition even for the most discerning business traveler,” CEO Stefan Pilcher said in a prepared statement.

The Orlando service, to begin next May, will be offered five times per week from Dusseldorf and will be the lone direct flight between the two cities.

Also in May, Air Berlin will also commence thrice-weekly service between Berlin and Los Angeles and four-times-weekly service between Berlin and San Francisco. Both flights will be the only direct service between the city pairs.

In another significant addition, Air Berlin will expand its Berlin-Miami service from seasonal to year-round.

The carrier will also increase the frequency of its flights between Dusseldorf and Boston, Dusseldorf and San Francisco, and Berlin and New York.