Berline (airline)

Berline (short form of Berlin-Brandenburgisches Luftfahrtunternehmen GmbH) was a German airline that operated chartered cargo and holiday flights out of its base at Berlin Schönefeld Airport.[1] It had approximately 90 employees.[2]

This article is about a German airline from 1991 to 1994. For other usages of the term Berline, see Berline.
Berline
IATA ICAO Callsign
BZ TBL
Founded1991
Ceased operations1994
Operating basesBerlin Schönefeld Airport
HeadquartersBerlin, Germany

History
A Berline Ilyushin Il-18 at Berlin Schönefeld Airport (1992).

Foundation

Following the failed privatization and subsequent decision by Treuhandanstalt to liquidate loss-making former East German state airline Interflug in early 1991, a group of former employees acquired five of Interflug's ageing Ilyushin Il-18 turboprop aircraft and founded Il-18 Air Cargo,[1] an airline offering chartered freight services.

On 1 November 1991, the name was changed to Berline,[2][3] and the airline commenced chartered passenger flights from Berlin-Schönefeld Airport to holiday resorts at the Mediterranean Sea, thus continuing the Interflug tradition. In 1992 and 1993, another two modern Fokker 100 airliners were added to the Berline fleet, which were leased from TAT.[3]

Closure

Due to the withdrawal of several investors and a subsequent credit freeze, Berline came into financial problems.[4] On 31 March 1994, the company filed for bankruptcy and ceased all flight operations with immediate effect.[5] Plans for a relaunch did not materialize,[6][7] and on 28 October of that year, Berline was officially shut down.[3]

References
  1. Information about Berline at the Aero Transport Data Bank
  2. Der Spiegel: Küken nach Teheran. Published on 23 December 1991 (in German).
  3. Information about Berlin at planespotters.net
  4. Was von der DDR-Staatsfluggesellschaft blieb, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Published on 23 June 2008 (in German).
  5. Berline landete im Konkurs, Berliner Zeitung Published on 2 April 1994 (in German).
  6. Berline will wieder starten, Berliner Zeitung Published on 6 August 1994 (in German).
  7. Berline droht endgültig das Aus, Berliner Zeitung Published on 30 September 1994 (in German).

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