Air berlin repays part of the 150 million loan

The federal government has withheld part of its 150-million-euro bridge loan for insolvent air berlin. A part of the k-loan was repaid on friday, a spokesman for the airline said, without naming any sums.

Financial circles confirmed media reports that air berlin had repaid a good 40 million euros to k. "B.Z."And "bild"-newspaper had reported about it.

The state-owned k, which belongs to the federal government and the lander, had made 150 million euros available to air berlin in the summer on behalf of the federal government. This was to prevent the planes from being grounded after the major shareholder etihad turned off the money tap. The federal government guarantees the loan.

The state may not get its money back in full. The proceeds from the sale of air berlin subsidiary niki to lufthansa, which has since collapsed, were also to be used to repay the loan.

The major part of the amount already repaid, namely 36.5 million euros, comes from the sale of shares in the company to the british company easyjet, which has already been completed. Further millions come from the sale of the subsidiaries leisure cargo and air berlin technik.

Additional 18 million euros could be received from lufthansa for AB subsidiary LG walter, if the eu approves the takeover. The planned quick sale of the insolvent niki to another investor could also generate further income.

After niki lauda, condor and ryanair, the swiss airline privatair has also officially expressed interest in the insolvent air berlin subsidiary niki. "Yes, we want to take over niki completely and keep as many jobs as possible," privatair CEO thomas limberger told the austrian newspaper "die presse" (online).

Federal economics minister brigitte zypries (SPD) had defended the uberbruckungskredit a few days ago. That the money might only be repaid in part is "a real risk". However, she assumes that "a substantial part of the loan" will be repaid, said zypries.