Air Berlin said on Saturday it would buy 14 Airbus A320 planes from Alitalia in a move designed by major shareholder Etihad to benefit both loss-making airlines. "I can confirm that we are receiving 14 A320 family aircraft from Alitalia to speed up our transition to an Airbus-only fleet. The aircraft will be bought and then sold to leasing companies," an Air Berlin spokesman said.
The spokesman, who was confirming a report in German business weekly WirtschaftsWoche, said the airline was still negotiating with potential leasing partners. He declined to comment on financial details. WirtschaftsWoche said Alitalia would get a better price than on the open market by cutting out the middleman. Etihad, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, owns 49 percent of Alitalia and 29 percent of Air Berlin.
It has invested about 560 million euros ($628 million) in a rescue plan for the troubled Italian flagship carrier. Air Berlin, Germany's second-largest airline, plans to complete its move to an all-Airbus fleet for short- and medium-haul routes to help cut service and maintenance costs by the end of 2016.