Air Berlin buys dba

SZ article (in german) here: Air Berlin übernimmt dba.

Guess this means no more Aldi specials ...and maybe higher fares, although there's not much network overlap.

Air Berlin are going to use DBA to take on Lufthansa and compete better for business passengers. Air Berlin themselves will then concentrate on VFF business.

mmm interesting idea but how do they intend to do that as according to the süddie dba will operate under the "air berlin" brand. therefore no differentation will be possible to the consummer. the VFF image will stay and your architype "must have a seat at the front and have the biggest hand lugage bag so i can get out quickly and save 10 minutes" german business man will still prefer a "linnien" airline. if they want to get into the business market they'll have to look elsewhere, how i know but that'll be giving away my work for free.

"Die ehemalige British-Airways-Tochter dba soll demnach als eigenständige Gesellschaft unter dem Konzerndach von Air Berlin weitergeführt werden, aber unter dem Namen Air Berlin fliegen. Das Kartellamt muss die Übernahme noch genehmigen."

I'm not much into the airlines here, but I seem to have the impression that dba had some value in the brand - relative to air berlin at least.

Will be interesting to see what AB do with their routes if they intend to go after the business market. Maybe they'll put Friday afternoon flights back on from HAM to MAN? Would be nice for Lufthansa to have a genuine competitor in the business sector. Nice price war for a bit until one of them wins.