Everything must go: Air Berlin auctions off plane seats, blankets and branded chocolates to raise cash
Bankrupt airline Air Berlin is selling its inventory in an attempt to pay off its unpaid bills, meaning aviation enthusiasts can bid on everything from branded chocolates to business class plane seats.
The airline, which was the second biggest in Germany after Lufthansa, filed for insolvency in August last year following years of financial loss. It ceased all operations on October 27 last year with almost £700 million of debt - but a healthy stocklist.
Hosted by German auction house Dechow, the sale of its assets, no matter how small or seemingly worthless, began earlier in the week and will run until the end of January.
A double plane seat is currently going for €900 (£790) and has registered 24 bids. A number of blue leather business class seats are also listed, with the lowest bid standing at €1,620 (£1,430) for two.
The auction house also lists plane trolleys, amenity kits featuring body lotions and ear plugs, miniature children’s suitcases and branded quilts. A six-metre (1:5 scale) model of a Boeing 737 Air Berlin plane is listed for €6,000 (£5,290), although this is yet to receive a bid.
The stock is currently on display in a hall in the city of Essen, Germany, where members of the public can register their interest. The auction house said it recorded more than 2,000 bids within the first half hour alone.
In December 2017, the competitions watchdog gave the green light for Lufthansa to acquire parts of Air Berlin including its regional carrier Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter (LGW), while easyJet bought Air Berlin's operations at Berlin Tegel airport.
