Air Berlin (AB) increased load factors for the period from Jan. 1 to July 3, but said the postponed opening of the Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BER) to March 2013 and aviation taxes prevented an increase in capacity utilization.

From January to July, ASKs fell 7.2% to 24,430,737 producing a load factor of 78.35%, up 1.5 points, which corresponds to an overall reduction of 7.2% compared to the first seven months of the previous year.

Several German media outlets said the opening of BER ( ATW Daily News, June 7 ), which was postponed from August 2012 to March 2013, could be further delayed. A status announcement will be made Aug. 16.