‘Airlines interested in feeder flights’

FRANKFURT: EasyJet has been approached to provide feeder flights from Berlin´s Tegel airport for other airlines´ long-haul routes, the British budget carrier´s Europe managing director told a German newspaper.

EasyJet is taking over some of failed German airline Air Berlin´s operations at Tegel, covering leases for up to 25 A320 aircraft.

It already operates at Berlin´s other airport, Schoenefeld.

"We have already had very many enquiries from other airlines that want to use our flights as feeders," daily Berliner Morgenpost quoted Thomas Haagensen as saying on Saturday.

He did not provide details. Both easyJet and Ryanair have been looking at so-called feeder flights to attract more customers, and have often said traditional carriers should use low-cost rivals to bring passengers to their hubs.

EasyJet in September launched a new booking platform allowing customers to connect more easily onto long-haul flights by Norwegian Air Shuttle and WestJet at London Gatwick.

Haagensen said easyJet had so far brought on board around 100 of the 1,000 Air Berlin crew it plans to recruit.

Around 500 former Air Berlin staff are in the recruitment process and 300 of those are poised to sign contracts, he said.

EasyJet in November agreed a deal with German trade union Verdi over job terms for former pilots and cabin crew of Air Berlin.