EANS-News: Air Berlin PLC / Jackson Square Aviation and Air Berlin agree on transaction for eight aircraft

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Company Information

London/Berlin (euro adhoc) - Jackson Square Aviation, LLC ("Jackson
Square") and Air Berlin are to sign a deal for eight aircraft. Under
the arrangement, Jackson Square will acquire three type Boeing
737-800 aircraft owned by Air Berlin and currently leased to Shenzhen
Airlines in China. The transaction also covers financing arrangements
for five aircraft in the Air Berlin fleet. This involves financing an
Airbus A319 currently owned and operated by Air Berlin as part of a
sale-and-lease-back transaction. Furthermore, four new Boeing
737-800s due to be delivered in the first half of 2011, are also to
be financed under sale-and-lease-back deals. As regards the Boeing
737-800 leased to Shenzhen Airlines and the Airbus A319, the deal is
likely to be concluded by the end of April 2010.

"We are pleased to be one of the first customers of Jackson Square
Aviation, a company just recently established. We have confidence in
the executive management team which was previously in charge of the
Pegasus Aviation Finance Company, a business with which we enjoyed
good relations. The sale of the aircraft currently leased to Shenzhen
Airlines represents a financial transaction that is especially
valuable to Air Berlin. It helps us reduce our net liabilities
further, which is of particular advantage to us," commented Ulf
Hüttmeyer, CFO Air Berlin PLC.

"We are enthusiastic about concluding such a big deal with one of
Europe´s leading airlines," remarked Toby Bright, Head of Marketing
at Jackson Square. "This deal is exactly the kind of business that
Jackson Square is looking for: long-term leases for next-generation
equipment with first-rate airlines."

About Jackson Square Aviation, LLC Jackson Square is a commercial
leasing company founded very recently and working in partnership with
Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. Jackson Square is based in San
Francisco, but also has offices in Seattle, Miami and Buenos Aires,
with plans to open marketing offices in Europe and Asia in 2010. The
management team previously worked together at Pegasus Aviation and
Sky Holding and has a combined experience in this industry of over 90
years. The team is headed by Rich Wiley, Scott Weiss and Toby Bright.
In total it has acquired aircraft with a value of over 10 billion
dollars, having purchased and/or sold more than 400 aircraft, and has
contacts with more than 30 commercials financiers and investment
banks in Europe, Asia and North America. Oaktree Capital Management,
L.P., Jackson Square´s majority shareholder, is a premier global
alternative and non-traditional investment management corporation
with more than 70 billion dollars of assets under management.

About Air Berlin Air Berlin is Germany´s second largest airline. The
group has been listed on the stock exchange since May 2006. Last year
Air Berlin carried a total of 27.9 million passengers worldwide. The
company currently has approx. 8,200 employees. Every year Air Berlin
receives more than 10 awards for service and quality. With an average
age of just 5.5 years, Air Berlin has one of the newest fleets in
Europe. The airline´s modern aircraft are extremely fuel-efficient,
thereby providing a lasting contribution to the reduction of aviation
emissions.

For further information please contact:
Toby Bright
Head of Marketing Jackson Aviation
Tel.: +1 (206) 245 - 8077

end of announcement euro adhoc
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ots Originaltext: Air Berlin PLC & Co Luftverkehrs KG
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

Hans-Christoph Noack

Director Corporate Communications Air Berlin

Tel.: +49 30 3434 1500

Fax: +49 30 3434 1509

E-mail: abpresse@airberlin.com

Branche: Air Transport
ISIN: GB00B128C026
WKN: AB1000
Index: SDAX, Classic All Share, Prime All Share
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Berlin / free trade
Hamburg / free trade
Stuttgart / free trade
Düsseldorf / free trade
München / free trade