BERLIN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- German airline investor, Hans Rudolf Woehrl, has submitted an offer of up to 500 million euros (600 million U.S. dollars) to acquire the insolvent carrier Air Berlin, the Nuremberg-based businessman said in a statement via Facebook Sunday night.
Woehrl reiterated his desire to take over the entirety of Air Berlin, with the payment being made in several installments and the final figure being conditional upon the firm's performance. The offer posted on his Facebook page also promises employees a profit share of 100 million euros in the event of a re-sale.
The aviation investor wrote that he had informed other interested parties such as the airlines Lufthansa, Condor and Germania in the hope that they would "participate in our bid". Nevertheless, the statement emphasized that Woehrl's INTRO group could also restore Air Berlin to health on its own if necessary.
Woehrl is only one of several parties which have expressed interest in acquiring at least parts of Germany's second largest carrier. Despite recording losses for years and ultimately filing for bankruptcy, Air Berlin's starting and landing rights at Duesseldorf and Berlin airports, as well as its profitable subsidiary Fly Niki, are seen as highly-prized assets in the industry.
The statement further voiced confidence that Air Berlin would "grow again soon" and hence require "at least the same number of employees as today."
Woehrl had previously accused the German government and domestic market leader Lufthansa of a conspiracy to break up the bankrupt company. On Sunday night, he reiterated "his promise" to "save the wonderful Air Berlin and all of its jobs".
