Lufthansa snaps up 81 planes, 3,000 staff from Air Berlin

Berlin, October 12

Germany’s biggest airline Lufthansa will buy up more than half of the aircraft of its bankrupt competitor Air Berlin, chief executive Carsten Spohr said on Thursday.

On a “great day” for the Frankfurt-based carrier, it will sign a contract to buy 81 of Air Berlin’s 144 planes and take on 3,000 of its 8,500 staff at noon (1530 IST) today, Spohr said—the last day for bidders Lufthansa and Easyjet to close their hoped-for deals. — AFP