Ryanair steps up push into Germany as Air Berlin retreats

Ryanair Holdings will add 10 new routes from Hamburg next summer as the low-cost giant seizes on a meltdown at Air Berlin to offer 20% more flights in Germany in 2017. Ryanair will open a base in Hamburg next month, stationing two jets there and adding seven routes from the north German city to take the total to 14. All of those destinations will be retained next year with three more, including Faro in Portugal and Thessaloniki in Greece, introduced, the company said Tuesday. Europe’s biggest discount airline is boosting operations in Germany after unprofitable Air Berlin last week announced the shuttering of its Hamburg base and five others in the country as it halves its fleet and cuts 1,200 jobs. Ryanair was already targeting expansion in the region’s largest economy, where it plans to capture 20% of traffic, up from about 5% now. “We know that the Ryanair offer will win through in the German market regardless of what happens to Air Berlin,” CMO Kenny Jacobs said. Some other carriers look “artificially good” because of the low oil price and also “could be vulnerable,” he added. <br/>