Thomas Cook Group subsidiary Condor (DE, Frankfurt International) could be interested in taking over the whole of Air Berlin (1991) (Berlin Tegel). News site BZ Berlin reports that Condor representatives are currently examining Air Berlin's books. However, its official stance is more circumspect.
"Thomas Cook and Condor are ready to play an active role in possible recovery solutions. It is important that these are permissible in the long term and in the field of antitrust law," said a statement released by the group earlier this month.
Meanwhile, an angry Michael O'Leary has lashed out at the insolvency proceedings of Air Berlin, calling the whole thing a 'stich-up'. The CEO of Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) told reporters on Wednesday that the insolvency proceedings were designed to ensure that Lufthansa (LH, Frankfurt International) takes control of a debt-free Air Berlin before the German election on September 24.
"If there is an open and transparent bankruptcy process for Air Berlin, we would be interested in looking at Air Berlin, just as we are looking currently at Alitalia (AZA, Rome Fiumicino)," O'Leary said. "If there was a fair and open process we would get involved but we are not getting involved in this process because it's a stitch-up."
Air Berlin went into insolvency at the beginning of August. Offers from interested parties on the whole or parts of the business need to be lodged by September 15.
