TUI – Etihad Terminate Negotiations for New European Leisure Airline

TUI Group and Etihad Aviation Group will not continue their negotiations about the planned joint venture between the German aviation subsidiary TUI fly and Niki, an announcement by TUI said on Thursday.

The goal of the talks that launched between the two companies last year, was to form a strong European leisure airline that would have a fleet of around 60 aircraft, offer 15 million seats capacity per year and be focused on point-to-point flying to connect key European tourist markets.

“A strong European leisure airline continues to make great strategic sense. After all, the aviation sector is characterised by overcapacity in Germany,” Sebastian Ebel, member of TUI AG’s Executive Board in charge of Central Region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland) said.

“However, Niki is no longer available for a joint venture. We will push the repositioning of TUI fly further ahead in order to develop long-term prospects for the airline and its employees.”

TUI Group said that it remains prepared to contribute to the stabilisation of the German aviation market. “TUI therefore remains open for a partnership or the formation of joint ventures serving the strategic goal of reshaping the market,” the company said.