Originally Posted by
TravelingPeanut
Air Berlin's annual press conference was cancelled today and that's led some to question if their airline will continue to operate as a single entity, or if Etihad (which owns a 30% stake in Air Berlin) is hoping to see the airline split into 2 divisions.
http://www.businesstraveller.com/new...-berlin-in-two
The present AB is not really rudderless, it just tries to combine 2 incompatible components. A short haul LCC and a full service long haul carrier.
LCCs do not belong to alliances dominated by full service carriers, thus the exit of Aer Lingus from Oneworld a few years ago when EL gave up any pretense of being full service.
I have no idea of what can happen of the long haul component (go on their own, sale to LH, other direction) but I can see a consolidation of AB short haul with the European services of AZ under the name "Etihad European". EY might even become interested in OA and TP later on... 3 mega carriers are too many for the Gulf area and they need to find other outlets to grow. Here is a way for EY...