Hans Rudolf Woehrl would be interested in the long-haul business of Air Berlin unit LTU at acceptable conditions, the German entrepreneur told Handelsblatt newspaper.

"The purchase of airlines is part of our business, and we were always very successful there," he was cited as saying in an article to be published on Wednesday.

Woehrl had sold LTU to Air Berlin in 2006 as part of his dba carrier, which he had bought for 1 euro (USD$1.35) in 2003.

Woehrl told Handelsblatt that he had been in touch with Air Berlin's management, but said there were no concrete negotiations.

The newspaper said a spokesman for Air Berlin declined to comment on Woehrl's reported interest, but said chief executive Joachim Hunold was currently looking into all options for LTU's long-haul business.

Air Berlin said last month it was looking into a possible sale of the carrier due to a deteriorating economic environment and demands by pilots for higher pay.