Air Berlin CEO Pichler to step down in February

[BERLIN] Loss-making German airline Air Berlin said its chief executive Stefan Pichler will step down on February 1, to be replaced by Lufthansa manager Thomas Winkelmann.

Pichler has been in the job since February 2015 and was brought in to restore the carrier to profit after successfully restructuring Fiji Airways.

Air Berlin has in recent months announced a major restructuring that will see its fleet halve to around 75 aircraft.

However, it is still loss-making and has been hurt this year by fierce competition on routes to Spain as tourists shifted from eastern Mediterranean destinations due to security fears.

REUTERS