Enlarge image Cake-cutting ceremony, (left -right), Consul General Wolfgang Drautz, Councilman Tom LaBonge, LAWA General Manager Gina Marie Lindsey and airberlin VP of International Sales Mats Jacobsson. (© courtesy Air Berlin Americas, Inc.) airberlin’s inaugural nonstop flight AB7023 from Berlin to Los Angeles landed at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Friday, May 11. Consul General Wolfgang Drautz and representatives of the airline, LAX airport and the City of L.A. gathered to celebrate the new nonstop service between the two Sister Cities.

The Airbus A330-200, which took off from Berlin-Tegel Airport at 2:45 pm local time and landed at LAX at 12:50 pm local time, was greeted with a water cannon salute as it came to a stop on the tarmac. Passengers were welcomed by airberlin’s Vice President International Sales Mr. Mats Jacobsson, Los Angeles World Airports Executive Director Gina Marie Lindsey, Los Angeles City Councilman Mr. Tom LaBonge, as well as Consul General Wolfgang Drautz.

"A nonstop flight finally connecting the two Sister Cities Berlin and Los Angeles is a great incentive for more visitors in both directions,” said Consul General Drautz.

Enlarge image LAX Airport (© picture-alliance / dpa) Councilmember Tom LaBonge, who chairs the City Council Trade, Commerce and Tourism Committee, remarked that it was “a great day in Los Angeles. We welcome airberlin’s new nonstop air service from our great Sister City, Berlin, to Los Angeles International Airport.”

Germany’s second largest airline has strong historic ties to the United States that go back 34 years. airberlin’s origin can be traced to the state of Oregon, where in 1978, it was incorporated by a former PanAm pilot. It was only after the fall of the Berlin Wall, that airberlin set on its course to become a German airline.

“Given the traditional close relationship between airberlin and the U.S., we are particularly proud to launch the new nonstop connection between the two metropolises Berlin and Los Angeles today", stated Mats Jacobsson, Vice President International Sales airberlin. “The new Los Angeles–Berlin service allows us to further strengthen airberlin’s presence in one of its strategic cornerstone markets and also has a strong symbolic character because this year Berlin and Los Angeles will celebrate the 45th anniversary of their partnership as Sister Cities." Mats Jacobsson had more good news to report: “We are happy to announce our three weekly flights from Los Angeles to Düsseldorf will continue throughout the winter.” 

Enlarge image Flight AB7023 is greeted with water cannon salute upon landing at LAX. (© courtesy Air Berlin Americas, Inc.) As of May 11, airberlin will offer three nonstop flights per week from Los Angeles to Berlin and three further flights from Los Angeles to Dusseldorf, airberlin’s second hub in Germany. The flights will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to Berlin respectively to Dusseldorf on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
In addition to the new Los Angeles service, airberlin recently started operating two nonstop flights per week from Las Vegas to Düsseldorf, Germany.

Source: airberlin