EANS-News: Air Berlin PLC & Co. Luftverkehrs KG / Aviation tax puts a burden on Air Berlin PLC´s earnings

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Financial Figures/Balance Sheet/9-month report/Q3 figures 2011

Subtitle: 3rd quarter: Air Berlin PLC increases revenue to EUR 1.375
billion / Capacity slightly reduced, yield and capacity utilization
improved / With EUR 200 million, "Shape & Size" program is on the
right track

London/Berlin (euro adhoc) - In the third quarter of 2011, Air Berlin
PLC was able to increase the yield (revenue per passenger) from EUR
110.94 to EUR 116.61 (excluding aviation tax), i.e. an increase of
5.1 percent over the corresponding period of the previous year. At
the same time, the seat load factor increased by 1.7 percentage
points, to 84.1 percent. Capacity was reduced by 0.5 percent, to 13.4
million seats. In quarterly comparison from Q3/2010 to Q3/2011, Air
Berlin PLC´s revenue increased by 10.8 percent, i.e. from EUR 1.241
billion to EUR 1.375 billion. For the same period, EBITDAR (earnings
before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and leasing
expenses) decreased from EUR 336.4 million to EUR 269.3 million; EBIT
(operating result before interest and taxes) dropped from EUR 171.7
million to EUR 96.8 million, whereas, in the previous year, positive
one-time gains of EUR 26.3 million were recorded. Without the
aviation tax, EBIT would have amounted to EUR 148.3 million. Net
profit decreased from EUR 135.9 million to EUR 30.2 million. Air
Berlin PLC's total equity is 14 percent (end of 2010: 21 percent) and
net indebtedness amounts to EUR 644 million (end of the previous
year: EUR 489 million).

airberlin's CEO Hartmut Mehdorn pleaded again for the abolition of
the aviation tax. At the presentation of the figures for the third
quarter of 2011 on Thursday, Mehdorn stated: "Due to the tough
competition, it is impossible to pass on the tax to the customers.
The aviation tax is damaging the low-margin airline industry in
Germany." Furthermore, the aviation tax, which was announced as a
precursor of the emissions trading scheme, renders all efforts geared
towards sustainability absurd, since the tax does not take CO2
emissions into account, emphasized Mehdorn. The evaluation of the
aviation tax, which the authorities have scheduled for next year,
should urgently be brought forward. In addition to the aviation tax,
high oil prices as well as strikes and announced strikes by the air
traffic controllers prevented airberlin from achieving a better
result for the third quarter - despite improved capacity utilization
and increased revenue per passenger.

Ulf Hüttmeyer, airberlin's CFO, emphasized that the efficiency
improvement program, "Shape & Size", which airberlin implemented in
the summer and comprises more than 30 working groups, is well on its
way towards sustainably positioning the company in a profitable
manner for the future. As Hüttmeyer stated: "According to the present
status, I am of the opinion that the program will already accomplish
savings amounting to approximately EUR 200 million in the coming
year."

Further inquiry note:
Uwe Berlinghoff
Director Corporate Communications airberlin
phone: +49 30 3434 1500
fax: +49 30 3434 1509
e-mail: abpresse@airberlin.com

end of announcement euro adhoc
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company: Air Berlin PLC & Co. Luftverkehrs KG
The Hour House, High Street 32
UK-WD3 1ER Rickmansworth, Herts
phone: +49 (0)30 3434 1500
FAX: +49 (0)30/3434-1049
mail: abpresse@airberlin.com
WWW: http://www.airberlin.com
sector: Air Transport
ISIN: GB00B128C026
indexes: SDAX, Classic All Share, Prime All Share
stockmarkets: regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurt, free trade: Berlin,
Hamburg, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, München
language: English