Air Berlin and Niki will put their codes on many of S7’s Russian domestic routes while S7 will grow its international presence by offering code-shares on Air Berlin and Niki.
The surprise announcement effectively means the end of S7’s ambitions to buy Austrian Airlines. Air Berlin and its 25 per cent subsidiary Niki have about a 30 per cent share in the Austrian international air travel market, making them the the largest competitor of Austria’s state-controlled airline.
S7’s decision to tie up with its competitors leaves only Lufthansa and Air France-KLM in the race for Austrian
