Air Berlin
German Airways is a German wet-lease and charter carrier operating Embraer regional jets for partner airlines; the supplied HE/LGW identifiers do not belong to the former Air Berlin.
About Air Berlin
The supplied legal name, codes and website identify Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter, now marketed as German Airways, rather than Air Berlin. Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter was founded in 1980 and later became part of the Zeitfracht Group. The German Airways brand was adopted in 2020. Air Berlin was a separate German airline, used the IATA code AB and ceased operations in 2017, so the two identities should not be treated as interchangeable.
German Airways is based in Cologne and principally provides aircraft, crews, maintenance and insurance to other airlines under wet-lease agreements. Consequently, it does not maintain a conventional year-round network sold under its own name. Its aircraft may appear on routes across Germany and elsewhere in Europe while operating for contracting carriers, and the departure airports and destinations can change when commercial agreements or seasonal schedules change.
The carrier operates Embraer E190 regional jets, a type suited to short- and medium-haul European services. Cabin configuration, seating arrangements, onboard catering and the availability of business-class service generally depend on the airline commissioning each flight. Travellers should therefore consult the marketing or ticketing carrier for the applicable product, baggage allowance, seat-selection rules and other service details instead of assuming a uniform German Airways offering.
German Airways is not a member of Star Alliance, SkyTeam or Oneworld and does not operate a widely marketed frequent-flyer programme of its own. On eligible wet-leased flights, passengers may still receive mileage credit, status benefits or lounge access through the programme of the airline whose code appears on the ticket. Eligibility is governed by that partner's fare class and programme conditions and should be checked before travel.
A practical strength of the wet-lease model is that German Airways can provide regional-jet capacity when partner airlines need additional aircraft or operational flexibility. The corresponding challenge for travellers is limited brand consistency: booking, check-in, disruption handling and customer support normally remain with the marketing airline, while German Airways may supply the aircraft and crew. Passengers should rely on their booking confirmation and operating-carrier notice to understand who performs each part of the journey.
Good to know
Flying with Air Berlin — what to expect
Identity Mismatch
HE, LGW and Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter identify the carrier now marketed as German Airways, not the former Air Berlin, whose IATA code was AB.
Wet-Lease Operations
German Airways commonly operates aircraft and crews for another airline. The partner airline usually controls ticketing, schedules and customer service.
Check Baggage Rules
Carry-on and checked-baggage allowances generally follow the marketing airline's rules and the purchased fare. Confirm them on that airline's website or booking record.
Cabin May Vary
The Embraer E190 cabin and onboard service may be adapted to the contracting airline. Catering, seat selection and business-class arrangements can therefore vary by flight.
Loyalty Credit
German Airways has no widely marketed loyalty programme of its own. Any mileage credit or status benefits depend on the marketing airline and the booked fare class.
Operating Carrier
Your ticket may carry another airline's flight number while naming German Airways as the operator. Check the operating-carrier notice before departure.
More from Germany
Other airlines based in Germany
FAQ
Air Berlin — frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the details travellers usually check first, from codes and locations to the practical basics that help with planning.
8 common questions
- Air Berlin ceased operations in 2017 and no longer has a primary hub; its principal bases included Berlin Tegel and Düsseldorf. The supplied HE/LGW identifiers instead belong to German Airways, a Cologne-based wet-lease carrier.
- Air Berlin tickets are no longer sold. For flights operated by German Airways on behalf of another carrier, compare the marketing airline's fares across nearby dates and book according to seasonal demand and fare flexibility.
- Air Berlin no longer flies. German Airways operates for partner airlines, so its routes depend on current wet-lease and charter assignments rather than a permanent network sold under its own brand.
- There are no current Air Berlin departures. Historically, Berlin Tegel and Düsseldorf were major bases, while present-day German Airways departure points vary according to partner-airline contracts.
- Air Berlin currently serves no destinations because it ceased operations in 2017. German Airways does not publish a stable scheduled network of its own, so a meaningful fixed destination count is not available.
- Originfacts compares live fares from hundreds of airlines and travel agencies via its partner Travelpayouts and never adds a fee. Air Berlin no longer operates, but the comparison may surface available flights from other carriers for the requested journey.
- Air Berlin has no current carry-on policy because it no longer operates. On a German Airways-operated wet-lease flight, follow the baggage limits published by the marketing airline shown on your ticket.
- Air Berlin has no current longest route because it ceased flying in 2017. German Airways assignments change by contract, so it does not have a dependable longest scheduled route marketed under its own name.