When Germany’s third largest airline Airberlin filed for bankruptcy in August, the German government stepped in to keep things financially afloat for a period of time to ensure passengers would not be left stranded, but as the weeks have gone on and no deal to save the airline has been reached, a notice went out to customers and staff on Monday stating that as of October 28, the company will no longer be taking to the skies.
The news may not come as a complete shock as the airline’s future has been rocky, with the best outcome being that pieces of the airline would be split between several investors or airlines, but many had hoped that until that day came, current operations would remain in place to a certain degree. Now airberlin is telling its staff to search for new jobs.
Talks are still underway between Lufthansa and easyjet to purchase parts of the airline and its remaining assets, but the process has not gone as smooth as some were hoping for in the beginning. In September, airberlin pilots began calling in sick en masse as a form of protest over the protection of their jobs once a deal is met, but the move only led to uncertainty for those looking to invest in a deal.
Negotiations between airberlin and its potential buyers are expected to continue through Thursday of this week, but should a deal be reached, it could still be a matter of months before any new operations continue as the agreement would need to receive regulatory approval.
