Germany says Air Berlin requires swift deal as prospects bad

Air Berlin needs a swift deal with carriers interested in buying all or part of the insolvent German airline because its prospects look bad, German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries said. Zypries said she was surprised by criticism of the German government’s E150m bridging loan to keep Air Berlin flying, telling a news conference she expects the money to be repaid. “We hope it goes quickly, as I believe the future prospects are indeed bad, I mean, who is booking Air Berlin at the moment, even if it’s possible?” Zypries said in Berlin Saturday. She said the government had created good conditions for talks on the airline’s future and that there were “enough interested parties,” including Lufthansa, EasyJet, Ryanair and German aviation entrepreneur Hans Rudolf Woehrl.<br/>