Air Berlin (Airberlin.com) Boeing 737-86J WL D-ABKM (msn 37755) PAE (Nick Dean) (latest delivery), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Air Berlin (stylized as airberlin) (airberlin.com) (Berlin-Tegel) is planning to join oneworld®, adding Europe’s fifth largest airline and Germany’s second biggest carrier to the airline alliance.

Air Berlin Group member Niki (Vienna) will become an affiliate member of the alliance.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Air Berlin and oneworld was completed in the airline’s Berlin home city last night (July 26), with a formal alliance membership agreement to be signed soon.

Air Berlin is expected to start flying as part of oneworld in early 2012 – just weeks before the opening of the new Berlin Brandenburg International Airport, which is being built as a major new hub for Europe.

Copyright Photo: Nick Dean. Boeing 737-86J D-ABKM (msn 33755) lands at Everett after a test flight.