With 28.6 million passengers in 2008, Germany’s second largest airline Air Berlin recorded moderate growth of only 1% over 2007. However, the airline remains committed to further growth in 2009 with new routes coming on line. Air Berlin will fly from Hanover to Stockholm Arlanda, as well as between Stuttgart and Nice. It will also boost its presence at Berlin Tegel with more frequencies to Nuremburg.

From next month new routes will link the German capital to Kracow and Oslo, and more frequencies will be offered to Moscow and St Petersburg. Air Berlin will also inaugurate a daily flight from Dusseldorf to St Petersburg. The carrier also signed an agreement with Hainan Airlines in January to codeshare on the Berlin-Beijing route. The agreement provides Air Berlin with a presence in China following the airline’s decision to withdraw last autumn from the Shanghai- and Beijing- Dusseldorf routes.