EANS-News: Air Berlin PLC / airberlin books solid results

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Corporate news transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer/originator is solely
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Subtitle: Third quarter results make up for the first half-year - Indebtedness
significantly lowered - Equity ratio improved - Capacity reduction due to air
travel tax - Additional cost-saving measures

London/ Berlin (euro adhoc) - airberlin reached an operating profit (EBIT) of
EUR 171.7 million for the third quarter of 2010; however, the accumulated
figures for the first nine months of the year could have been better: The harsh
winter and the flight cancellations caused by the volcanic ash cloud from
Iceland reduced EBIT to EUR 44.8 million. As at 30 September 2010, the net
result for the first nine months amounted to EUR -14.6 million.

Total revenue for the quarter reached EUR 1.241 billion, i.e. is a 5 percent
increase over the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Due to the
capacity increase, yield decreased by 2.2 percent to EUR 103.93. Analogously,
revenue per available seat kilometer decreased by 2.9 percent to 6.79 Eurocents.

Conversely, cost per available seat kilometer (ASK) for the first nine months of
2010 was lowered by 3.6 percent, in the third quarter even by 4.3 percent. Air
Berlin PLC's net indebtedness was significantly reduced, namely from EUR 574
million to EUR 438 million. This figure, however, also includes EUR 132 million
for the first-time consolidation of the Austrian subsidiary, NIKI. The equity
ratio improved to 22 percent as compared to 20 percent in the corresponding
quarter of the previous year.

Promising economic data and increasing consumer confidence encouraged
airberlin's Management to expand the fleet during the first nine months of the
year. Seat capacity was increased by 4.9 percent, in the third quarter even by 9
percent. However, the air travel tax which will become effective as of January
2011 is prompting the company to change its course. Since the charge is expected
to amount to between EUR 160 and 170 million, capacity will be reduced by 5
percent as of the beginning of the summer flight schedule 2011.

As airberlin's CEO Joachim Hunold stated in Berlin on Thursday: "Although the
economic conditions remain favorable, we are cautious with respect to the coming
year. In my opinion, the fierce competition on some flight routes will make it
impossible to pass on the air travel tax to the passengers in its entirety.
Therefore, we will reduce our capacity by five percent, and reduce our fleet by
seven aircraft, instead of carrying out the originally planned increase."

Further inquiry note:
Peter Hauptvogel
Director Corporate Communications
Tel.: +49 (0)30 3434 1500
Fax: +49 (0)30 3434 1509
E-Mail: [email protected]
end of announcement euro adhoc
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company: Air Berlin PLC
The Hour House, High Street 32
UK-WD3 1ER Rickmansworth, Herts
phone: +49 (0)30 3434 1500
FAX: +49 (0)30/3434-1049
mail: [email protected]
WWW: http://www.airberlin.com
sector: Air Transport
ISIN: GB00B128C026
indexes: SDAX, Classic All Share, Prime All Share
stockmarkets: regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurt, free trade: Berlin,
Hamburg, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, München
language: English

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