Centralwings and Germanwings enter strategic alliance

"Sector consolidation is inevitable. More players are entering the market, others are going bankrupt. Alliances emerge. Our cooperation with Germanwings is an answer to what is happening in the sector. We are ready to welcome new partners," said Centralwings president Piotr Kociołek. Both companies, apart from similarity of names, share a similar business model and technology (such as booking systems). The carriers have divided the Polish-German market between themselves. Germanwings will service flights from Kraków and Warsaw to Cologne/Bonn and Stuttgart (with planes 82-84% full). Meanwhile, Centralwings will offer flights from Warsaw to Hanover and Nuremberg and from Katowice to Cologne/Bonn and Hanover. "Our partner is already helping us in talks with airports where it has been present for a long time. We intend to promote our brands and order services together. The cooperation will comprise inter alia sales, marketing and IT. We expect this will help reduce our costs," said Kociołek. (Parkiet, p. 6) D.W.