Air Berlin is currently the seventh largest airline in Europe and the second within Germany based on the number of passengers it carries annually. Of German origin, this airline is based in Berlin and operates flights within Germany, throughout Europe and outside the European continent.
Advantages
Air Berlin is a member of the alliance Oneworld, along with others such as American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific… The objective of this alliance is to offer the best possible service and maximum comfort to its passengers.
In addition, there is the bonus called Top bonus, with which passengers can access exclusive rates and products from each airline belonging to this alliance.
Below we list another of the main advantages of choosing Air Berlin as our airline:
- Etihad Airways Partner: Since the beginning of 2014, Air Berlin and Etihad Airways have been partners, which provides many advantages to Air Berlin. The main one is that the Air Berlin fleet has a design similar to that of Etihad Airways aircraft, which makes its aircraft have a more comfortable layout and characteristics for the user. In addition, since then Air Berlin offers a greater number of destinations and services to its customers.
- Transoceanic flights without scales: Many are the customers who value AirBerlin for the fact that it is one of the few airlines that offers direct transoceanic flights at a good price and without the need to stop at an intermediate airport. Thus, an example of this is the combination New York-Berlin (Tegel), route for which there is a direct flight.
- Vanguard fleet: the new Airbus 330s that Air Berlin has are equipped with new technologies. In this way, passengers traveling with this airline will find in front of their seat a screen in which one or more films are broadcast (depending on the duration of the journey) and connect electronic devices such as the iPad, iPod or iPhone.
- Excellent catering service: flights with this airline include a free catering service available throughout the journey for those who require it. In addition, the company offers a bottle of water per passenger upon boarding the plane. Although there are all kinds of opinions, the truth is that the majority of passengers are satisfied with the food that is offered.
- Ticket Rail & Fly: This ticket arises from the partnership between Deutsche Bahn AG and Air Berlin. Thanks to this agreement, passengers who buy a ticket Rail & Fly they will be able to travel to the airport without additional charges with the German railway company Deutsche Bahn AG when the airport and the departure train station are in different areas within the German public transport network.
It is worth mentioning that the class that is reserved for the plane ticket will be equivalent for the train, that is, if we reserve economy class on the plane, we will travel in economy class on the train. The ticket Rail & Fly it can be purchased during the online purchase of your Air Berlin ticket. Therefore, if your flight departs from Germany, you may be interested in this service.
In addition, if you travel with children, they can benefit from special discounts according to their age range. Children under 2 years of age pay only 15% of the net price of the ticket for an adult and 20% for long-haul flights.
Children over 2 years old and under 12 years old pay 80% of the net price of an adult ticket. Another advantage for families is that they can reserve adjoining seats for free, as long as there are no more than two adults and they have at least one child under the age of 2.
Disadvantages
- Limited customer service: There are a large number of passengers who have traveled with Air Berlin and have expressed their dissatisfaction with the airline because they have encountered very limited customer service. Also included here is the fact that they offer little compensation, either financial or otherwise, in case of loss or damage to luggage, delays or long delays ...
- Little multilingual service: Another frequent complaint from many users of this airline is that they do not easily detach from their native language: German. Thus, there have been cases in which users have received responses to complaints in German after addressing the company in English, for example.
- Little space on the plane: narrow aisle, narrow toilets, narrow seats ... It seems that narrow is the adjective with which a high number of passengers defines the aircraft of this airline. This obviously makes the journey more uncomfortable, especially if it is a long flight.
- Contact phone 902: the 24-hour contact number that Air Berlin shows on its website is 902 333 335, that is, a 902 toll number, the cost of which is 0,09EUR / min.
- Lower price, greater discomfort: One of the aspects that Air Berlin is characterized by is that, despite not being a low cost airline, it usually offers very attractive offers. However, many have been the passengers who, after acquiring one of these offers, have observed after their experience that the low cost of their flight is due to the fact that several conveniences and conventional services are eliminated during the flight or more obstacles are placed in the carry-on or checked baggage.
- Lack of check-in online for transoceanic flights: Air Berlin, like the rest of today's airlines, allows its passengers to check-in online, so they can print their boarding pass from home. However, there are certain transoceanic flights (from Europe to North America, for example) for which this service is not offered. Therefore, we advise you to check this in advance.
Top photo by Aero Icarus.
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