Airline entrepreneur Hans Rudolf Woehrl is interested in insolvent Air Berlin (AB1.DE), a spokeswoman for his company INTRO-Verwaltungs GmbH told Reuters, responding to a media report saying he was planning a bid.
She said it was the only way to avoid creating a German monopoly. Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) is the sole major player remaining.
German magazine Capital earlier reported that Woehrl was thinking of teaming up with other investors to make a takeover offer for Air Berlin, citing people familiar with the matter.
«INTRO already declared its interest years ago to take a majority stake in the Air Berlin group jointly with additional investors. This interest still exists,» the spokeswoman said in an emailed statement, adding other investors were involved.
«We think Air Berlin is meaningful only as a whole, because that is the only way to prevent a monopoly at the expense of passengers in Germany.»
Woehrl made a name for himself in Germany’s aviation world when he bought German airline Deutsche BA from British Airways — now part of IAG (ICAG.L) – for 1 euro ($1.17) in 2003…
