airberlin’s touristic flying operations will be operated in a separate touristic-focusedbusiness unit, as strategic options are evaluated. Mr Pichler added: “Our leisure business has great underlying value which will bestronger in a separate touristic-focused business unit.“In turn, this allows airberlin to focus on its core operation as a network scheduledairline.” With the announcement of the new strategy, airberlin also announced that it intendsto provide up to 40 A320 aircraft to the Deutsche Lufthansa Group, with up to 38aircraft to be operated under a six year wet lease agreement or ACMIO arrangement,which includes aircraft, crew, maintenance, insurance and overhead services. Thisarrangement allows airberlin to reduce excess capacity while reducing restructuringcosts. The wet lease is to be fully operational by the 2017 summer season. Going forward, airberlin’s profitable long-haul programme will be expanded with newroutes and additional frequencies, particularly to the United States. The airline’s short- and medium-haul programme will concentrate on year-roundbusiness markets with a strong focus on Italy, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. It willalso aim to build a higher share of domestic business travel.airberlin will collaborate closely with the works councils and trade unions which willbe involved throughout the process of change. airberlin intends, subject to all required co-determination rights of the employeerepresentatives, to offer voluntary redundancies where possible. Redeploymentopportunities within the Etihad Airways Partners group of airlines, which include JetAirways, Air Serbia, Etihad Regional, Alitalia, Air Seychelles and Etihad Airways, willendeavour to be offered to airberlin employees. Mr Pichler said: “Of course, we understand that redundancies are unwelcome, evenin a dynamic market such as Germany. We have to make reductions but we will aimto do so in a supportive manner, offering new opportunities to employees wherepossible.“airberlin will be a lean business focused on long-haul and higher-yield routes fromDusseldorf and Berlin, which are our two strong catchment areas. “We are implementing a size and structure for the business that is fit for purpose. Wewill see revenues grow and costs contained as a result of this restructuring of ourbusiness.”