EANS-Adhoc: Air Berlin generates revenue of EUR 184.4 million from divestment of majority interest in frequent flyer programme "topbonus"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ad-hoc disclosure pursuant to section 15 of the WpHG transmitted by euro adhoc with the aim of a Europe-wide distribution. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Strategic management decisions/topbonus 18.12.2012 Ad hoc notification pursuant to § 15 of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG) London, 18 December 2012 - Air Berlin PLC will generate a revenue of EUR 184.4 million from the carve-out of its frequent flyer programme "topbonus" and the acquisition of a majority stake herein by Etihad Airport Services L.L.C. The company expects that this revenue will be fully reflected in the profit and loss account and the balance sheet in the financial year 2012. The enterprise will receive the amount of EUR 184.4 million in the year 2012 with full impact on liquidity. The transaction, on which Air Berlin PLC & Co. Luftverkehrs KG and Etihad Airport Services L.L.C. have agreed today, envisages the carve-out of the business unit to a separate legal entity under English law named Topbonus Ltd. with its head office in Berlin, which shall continue to operate and further develop the frequent flyer programme on the basis of a commercial agreement with Air Berlin. Air Berlin will hold 30% of the shares in this entity, and Etihad 70%. Air Berlin has the right to acquire 10% of the shares from Etihad. The German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) has already cleared the transaction, which is to be closed in the year 2012. Air Berlin PLC The Hour House 32 High Street Rickmansworth WD3 1ER Hertfordshire Great Britain ISIN GB00B128C026, WKN AB1000, (Share) on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Regulated Market, Prime Standard) ISIN DE000A0NQ9H6 (Convertible Bonds 2007) Euro MTF Market on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange ISIN DE000AB100A6 (Bond 2010), ISIN DE000AB100B4 (Bond April 2011) and ISIN DE000AB100C2 (Bond November 2011) each of the three bonds segment Bondm of the open market on the Stuttgart Stock Exchange and Main Securities Market on the Irish Stock Exchange Further inquiry note: Ingolf Hegner SVP Investor Relations +49 (0)30 3434 1590 ingolf.hegner@airberlin.com end of announcement euro adhoc -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- issuer: Air Berlin PLC The Hour House, High Street 32 UK-WD3 1ER Rickmansworth, Herts phone: +49 (0)30 3434 1500 FAX: +49 (0)30/3434-1509 mail: abpresse@airberlin.com WWW: http://www.airberlin.com sector: Air Transport ISIN: GB00B128C026 indexes: SDAX, Classic All Share, Prime All Share stockmarkets: free trade: Berlin, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, free trade/Bondm: Stuttgart, regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurt language: English
Original content of: Air Berlin PLC, transmitted by news aktuell