Ryanair targets Lufthansa, Air Berlin with German route growth

Ryanair Holdings will double operations in Berlin and add bases in Hamburg and Nuremberg as it seeks a fourfold expansion of its share of the German airline market at the expense of Air Berlin and Lufthansa. Four additional aircraft will be stationed at Ryanair’s base at Berlin Schoenefeld Airport, bringing the total there to nine, and its passenger numbers in Hamburg will double as two planes are assigned to that city in November. Ryanair is sticking to plans to account for 20% of Germany’s aviation market in coming years compared with about 5% currently, CMO Kenny Jacobs said Wednesday. The carrier, Europe’s biggest discount airline, ranks third in passengers in Germany. It’s drawing customers from the two larger competitors as Lufthansa’s efforts to develop its Eurowings low-cost brand have sparked labor walkouts, while Air Berlin scales back its route network to stem losses. “It’s the perfect time to expand in Germany,” with Air Berlin contracting and Lufthansa battling “several distractions,” Jacobs said. “We are committed to Germany.”<br/>