From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Air Berlin began in July 1978 as an American company flying services out of Berlin. Only airlines belonging to the World War II Allies were allowed to fly from Berlin until German reuinification in October 1990. Initial charter flights began in 1979 with a Boeing 707 to Palma de Mallorca. Even today, the so called City Shuttle to Germany's favorite holiday island is one of Air Berlin's busiest routes. Air Berlin is also the biggest airline on Mallorca.
After German reuinification in 1990 the airline was registered under German law and holiday charter flights, which had been restricted to Berlin only, were now flown from other German airports, including Mönchengladbach, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Bremen, Münster, Nürnberg and Hamburg.
By the end of 1981 the fleet had been changed to the Boeing 737. In 2003, the whole fleet consisted of this aircraft type, with some model -400, mostly model -800, and 3 leased BAe 146 aircraft. Air Berlin also became Germany's second largest airline after Lufthansa.
