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The EC Thursday approved Lufthansa's E210m (US$249m) partial takeover of its defunct rival Air Berlin. Brussels agreed that Lufthansa could buy up the remaining assets of Air Berlin’s LGW subsidiary under the condition that it restricts its operations at Dusseldorf airport - a move aimed at preventing excessive market dominance. Lufthansa initially planned on buying 81 aircraft out of Air Berlin’s 140-stong fleet, including all of the planes from its Austrian carrier Niki, plus its valuable airport slots. But amid concerns that the EU would reject its plans, Lufthansa last week pulled out of its bid for Niki – which led to its bankruptcy and grounding. The more modest offer will see Lufthansa acquire some 30 planes flown by LGW but leased from other companies. LGW employs some 500 people. <br/>

SAS has launched its new operation under an Irish AOC, as it seeks to lower costs by basing aircraft outside its expensive home territories. The carrier said Dec 21 it had obtained the AOC last week, following a delay in receiving its new Airbus A320neo. SAS plans to operate 9 A320neos under the new AOC. Five will be based at London Heathrow—the airline’s first base outside Scandinavia—while the remainder will operate from a second new base in Malaga, southern Spain. An SAS spokesman said the London base would be used primarily for services between London and the Scandinavian capitals, as well as for sectors between other UK airports and Scandinavia. The new Malaga base is scheduled to be up and running in summer 2018. <br/>