20 October 2010
Air links between Jersey and Germany will be strengthened next year with the announcement of a scheduled service to Hanover. Air Berlin, Germany’s second largest airline, has now put its 2011 Channel Islands programme on sale and hopes that the excellent passenger numbers achieved in 2010 will be replicated next year.
The airline will operate a weekly service to Hanover on Saturdays between 16 April and 24 September 2011, using a Q400 type aircraft, which has a capacity to carry 76 passengers. The inbound service will see the aircraft travel via Guernsey but the Jersey to Hanover sector of the journey will be direct. The route will be further strengthened by German tour operator Tui Wolters, who have taken an allocation of seats to sell as part of package holidays to Jersey.
The announcement of the scheduled Hanover route will complement the existing weekly service to Düsseldorf, which the airline has operated since 2009. Next year, this service will once again operate on Saturdays between 16 April and 10 September 2011, using an A319 type aircraft with a capacity to carry up to 144 passengers. For Jersey passengers who wish to travel further afield, the Düsseldorf service also offers a same day connection to the German cities of Berlin and Munich as well as the Austrian capital, Vienna.
According to Air Berlin’s country manager for the UK and Ireland, Titus Johnson, the airline remains committed to Jersey, demonstrated by the increase in destinations being served and the capacity of the aircraft used on the routes. He said “Year on year, Air Berlin is carrying more passengers from Germany to Jersey as demonstrated by the fact that in 2010 we carried 4,529 passengers on this route. Air Berlin’s full service, lower fares and growing network are a great stimulus for attracting more tourism to Jersey.”
Assistant Minister for Economic Development, Senator Paul Routier, who has specific responsibility for Jersey Airport, is pleased to see the German market so buoyant. He said “The announcement of this additional service is a welcome boost for the airport’s long-term aim of seeing more routes into mainland Europe as well as catering for the demand of the German and Austrian market for holidaying in Jersey. We have built up an excellent relationship with Air Berlin over the past few years and long may this continue.”
Both routes can now be booked online at Air Berlin's website.
Air Berlin website
gov.je